NEPLP investigates possible violations of pre – election campaign on TV and radio BNN

In the course of intensified monitoring of TV 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 in the JSC. TV Latvia a SIA Baltcom radio before the Riga City Council elections, informs NEPLP.

The two initiated investigation cases are related to the possible placement of a hidden pre-election campaign in the program National Interest Clubthat is broadcast in the program Riga TV24. Possible covert pre-election campaigning has been identified in several episodes – both by placing visual elements with the logo of a specific political force in the program, involving agitators, and by failing to ensure the 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 for parliamentary office, ensuring a much larger representation of these political forces in a given program.

One of the inspections was launched in connection with the findings in the broadcasts Seven days and nights a Morning in Baltkomathat are broadcast Baltcom radio, in which possible covert pre-election campaigning has manifested itself in editorially not ensuring the balance of the representation of different political forces, but by illegally promoting parties It is an honor to serve Riga candidates by providing them with a proportionately much wider representation on their program.

The NEPLP has informed the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau about the findings of the initiated inspections.

“The task of pre-election campaigning is to provide an opportunity to express and find out information about candidates, parties and their political offer. At the same time, if agitation is hidden, it means unfair political competition and opportunities to manipulate the will of the electorate, »points out NEPLP member Jānis Eglītis, emphasizing that the media are editorially independent, but at the same time have a duty to observe high standards of journalism and ethics. In the Law on Pre-election Campaigning specified.

Also read: During the period of the Riga City Council’s extraordinary election campaign, the parties spent half a million

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.

“Violations of this kind can affect the results of the Riga City Council elections, which are unacceptable in a democratic society. The task of NEPLP is to monitor the observance of the law and react quickly to violations, »emphasizes the chairman of NEPLP Ivars Āboliņš.

NEPLP calls on the media to follow Pre-election campaign law and developed by the Council Guidelines for the Application of Electronic Media Law in News, Informative, Documentary and Discussion Shows, Especially in Pre-Election Time. The invitation of candidates to the program must be justified and they must refrain from using them as opinion leaders, experts or key commentators in 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 they are responsible for non-compliance with the procedure for placement or accounting of pre-election campaign materials in Section 35, Paragraph two of the Law on Pre-election Campaign Law: non-compliance with the accounting procedure in the field of electronic media shall be imposed on a natural person from ten to one hundred fine units, but on a legal person – from one hundred to one thousand four hundred and twenty fine units. ”

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