N. Media Provisions

Previous opinions of the OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission have noted the need for improvement in legal provisions regulating media in elections. Previous recommendations, including those made in OSCE election observation mission reports, have focused on the need for the law: (1) to provide for equitable coverage of contestants in news and current affairs programs, (2) respect the right of media to exercise independent editorial coverage of campaign events, (3) state clear guidance to the oversight bodies responsible for implementation of the law, including consideration of establishing a single independent regulatory body responsible for ensuring compliance with power to conduct systematic media monitoring, (4) removing the requirement for special accreditation for media outlets to cover the electoral campaign, (5) to provide greater clarity on the difference between news coverage (“informing”) and “campaigning”; (6) specify that media should not be held responsible for “unlawful” statements made by candidates; and (7) require all advertisements, both free and paid airtime, to clearly identify whether the advertisement is free or paid and who is responsible for the content