In the context of enhanced monitoring of television and radio programs since the beginning of the pre-election campaign period, the National Electronic Media Council (NEPLP) has initiated three more investigation cases regarding possible violations of the pre-election campaign rules of JSC “TV Latvija” and SIA “Baltkom radio” before Riga City Council extraordinary elections, the portal “Delphi” learned in the council.
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Two test cases are related to the possible placement of a hidden pre-election campaign in the program “National Interest Club”, which is broadcast on the program “RīgaTV 24”.
Possible covert pre-election campaigning has been identified in several episodes – both by placing visual elements in the program with the logo of a specific political force, involving agitators, and by failing to ensure editorial balance of different political forces, unauthorized promotion of two political forces, parties “It is an honor to serve Riga“and electoral alliances”For development / About!“, “Progressive“candidates, ensuring a much larger proportion of these political forces in a given program.
One of the inspections was launched in connection with the findings of the programs “Seven Days and Nights” and “Morning in Baltkom”, which are broadcast on “Baltkom radio”, where covert pre-election campaigning Riga “candidates, providing them with a proportionately much wider representation in their program.
The NEPLP has informed the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau about the findings of the initiated inspections.
“The task of the pre-election campaign is to provide an opportunity to express and find out information about candidates, parties and their political offer. At the same time, if the campaign is hidden, it means unfair political competition and opportunities to manipulate the will of voters,” said NEPLP member Jānis Eglītis. are editorially independent, but at the same time they are obliged to observe high standards of professionalism and ethics of journalism, as well as the provisions of the Law on Pre-election Campaigning.
The NEPLP recalls that the task of the pre-election campaign is to provide the public with comprehensive information on candidates for deputies, lists of candidates for deputies, political parties, associations of political parties and voters’ associations before elections. Covert pre-election campaigning is prohibited.
“This type of violation can affect the results of the Riga City Council elections, which is unacceptable in a democratic society. The task of the NEPLP is to monitor the observance of the law and react quickly to violations,” emphasizes Ivars Āboliņš, the chairman of the NEPLP.
The NEPLP calls on the media to comply with the Law on Pre-Election Campaigning and the “Guidelines for the Application of the Electronic Media Law in the Development of News, Informative Documentary and Discussion Programs, especially during the pre-election period” developed by the NEPLP. The invitation of candidates to the program must be justified and they must refrain from using them as opinion leaders, experts or key commentators on events, increasing the publicity of the candidates concerned.
NEPLP informs that within its competence it will continue to monitor the compliance of electronic media activities with the law, as well as emphasizes that the second part of Article 35 of the Pre-election Campaign Law provides for liability for non-compliance with the procedure for placement or accounting of pre-election campaign materials: for non-compliance with the accounting procedure in the field of electronic media, a fine of ten to one hundred fine units shall be imposed on a natural person, and a fine of one hundred to four hundred and twenty fine units on a legal person. “
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