Media Reporting National Minorities in Serbia – The Role of Independent Institutions

Bašić, Goran and Stjelja, Ivana (2018) Media Reporting National Minorities in Serbia – The Role of Independent Institutions. In: Yearbook. No. 1, Human rights protection "From unlawfulness to legality" = Годишњак. Бр. 1, Заштита људских права "Од противправности до законитости". Provincial Protector of Citizens - Ombudsman : Institute of Criminological and Sociological Research, Novi Sad ; Belgrade, pp. 295-313. ISBN 978-86-89417-08-1 (PZG) 978-86-80756-14-1 (IKSI)

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Abstract

This paper analyses public policies and legal framework of media reporting on national minorities in Serbia, the role and practice of independent bodies with regard to media reports which are not in line with legal and professional standards, and the impact of such reporting on the status of national minorities and the level of implementation of minority rights. We analysed public policies and legal framework and professional standards in media reporting on national minorities in Serbia, as well as their implementation by independent bodies. The legislation regulating media reporting on national minorities, primarily the Law on the Prohibition of Discrimination and a set of media laws proscribe the expression of ideas, information or opinions that instigate discrimination, hatred or violence against minorities. Journalists are bound by professional standards defined in the Serbia Journalists' Code of Ethics to oppose anyone who violates human rights or advocates any type of discrimination or hatred or instigates violence. The Code of Ethics requires journalists to be aware of the threats of discrimination the media can spread and to give their best to avoid discrimination. The practice of the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality with cases of discriminatory reporting on national minorities in the media, as well as the practice of the Press Council, as an independent self-regulatory body, indicates that the protection of the rights of national minorities in media needs improvement.

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