Should you wish to file a complaint about media content, you can find information on regulators and self-regulators and their complaint mechanisms in this section.
Regulator: Agency for Electronic Media (AEM)
The Agency for Electronic Media is an independent regulatory body for AVM services acting pursuant to the Electronic Media Law. As an autonomous legal entity, it is functionally independent from the government and any legal and natural persons engaging in production and broadcasting of radio and TV programs, or provision of other AVM services. The Agency was founded by the state. The rights of the founder are exercised by the Agency Council in accordance with the law.
Within the scope of its competences, the Agency proposes the AVM services Development Program in cooperation with the regulatory body responsible for electronic communications; drafts a background paper for developing a plan for the use of the radio-frequency band, in the section designated for terrestrial broadcasting; approves draft radio frequency allocation plan, as regards terrestrial broadcasting; gives opinion to the regulatory body for electronic communication on the need to designate an operator with significant market power if the analysis determines that relevant electronic communications services market is not competitive enough; issues license for provision of AVM services (broadcasting license and on-demand AVM services provision license); determines the fee amount for issuance and use of AVM service provision license; keeps a register of AVM service providers and electronic publications; decides about complaints of natural and legal persons regarding the operation of AVM service providers; oversees the implementation of the Electronic Media Law; adopts and implements secondary legislation accompanying this law; performs other tasks, as per the law and the AEM Articles of Association.
Citizens may submit a complaint about the work of AVM service providers via the following e-mail: [email protected], the following telephone numbers: +382 20 201 430, +328 20 201 440, as well as through the direct online form available at the website of the Agency here.
In addition, as part of the Council of the public service broadcaster RTCG operates a regulatory body named the Commission for RTCG Listeners and Viewers’ Appeals and Complaints. Citizens can file a complaint about RTCG programs at this link.
Self-regulation: Media Council for Self-Regulation
Two self-regulatory bodies are active in Montenegro. The Media Council for Self-Regulation gathers different electronic, print and online media outlets, including the public service broadcaster, RTCG, the biggest TV channel, Pink M, and the formerly state-owned daily, Pobjeda. Among its activities, the body lists monitoring of the implementation of the Code of Conduct of Journalists of Montenegro and mediating between dissatisfied readers, viewers and listeners and the media. Citizens can file complains about the work of participating media outlets via the following e-mail: [email protected].
The Self-Regulatory Council for Local Press deals only with local print media. It has no website, nor is it known how or whether at all the body deals with reader complaints.
Three print outlets with an important market share, the dailies Dan and Vijesti and the weekly Monitor, did not join either of the self-regulatory mechanisms referred to above, but have instead instituted internal ombudspersons, whose remit includes dealing with reader complaints. Information on the ombudspersons and complains procedure, as well as e-mail addresses to be used when filing a complaint can be found on the following links: Dan, Vijesti and Monitor.
The civil society organization Human Rights Action has regularly monitored and analyzed the regulatory and self-regulatory mechanisms in Montenegro.
