In today’s meeting, the Board of Audiovisual Media Authority imposed sanctions against certain Audiovisual Media Service Operators.
Based on the complaints received by AMA and the relevant proposals, the Board decided to impose sanctions in the following cases:
Ora News RTV
The Board sentenced Ora News RTV to a fine of ALL 400,000 for the “Moscow Speaking” Show, of March 18, 2019- with the subject “Skenderbe and murders in the New Zealand’s Mosques”.
The Board considers such statements to be a violation of the Law No. 97/2013 “On Audiovisual Media in the Republic of Albania”, as amended. These statements promote intolerance among citizens, justify violence, do not respect the language and diversity of traditions, religious beliefs, culture and moral of citizens. The violation of these legal principles during this program promotes hate speech on religious grounds and, as such, it is punishable by the law.
Report TV
The Board sentenced Report TV to a fine of ALL 200,000 for the “No Traces”Program, of January 14, 2019 for violation of rights of children, breaching their privacy and dignity.
During this show, the Law No. 97/2013 “On Audiovisual Media in the Republic of Albania”, as amended, was breached. This Law sanctions the duty of audiovisual media to preserve the confidentiality and respect the privacy of child, in their broadcasting, as provided by the Broadcasting Code, in Section 5, “Children in Audiovisual Transmissions”.
News 24 TV
The Board sentenced News 24 TV to a fine of ALL 120,000 for the central news program of March 15,2019, at 19.00. During the program, two surreptitious advertisings were aired one after the other. These events are a violation of the requirements of the Law No. 97/2013 “On Audiovisual Media in the Republic of Albania”, as amended. Article 42, paragraph 1 of this Law provides that “audiovisual commercial communications shall be readily recognizable as such. Surreptitious audiovisual commercial communication shall be prohibited.”
In addition, the transmission of two chronicles within the news program is considered a breach of Article 44 of the Law 97/2013, for “Product Placement within Programs”, because inserts are considered a product.
Klan TV
The Board sentenced Klan TV to a fine of ALL 120,000, because “Rudina” Program of March 27,2019 has not observed the requirements for advertising and commercial communications.
A surreptitious advertising was in the content of the second part of “Rudina” TV program, which constituted a non-compliance with the requirements of the Law No. 97/2013 “On Audiovisual Media in the Republic of Albania”, as amended, Article 42, paragraph 1, and Article 44.
Ora News RTV
The Board decided to reprimand Ora News TV, because the “Why Not Show” of 07.04.2019, at 19.00, was found to have violated the legal and ethical norms.
The Board notes that “the language used during the conversation and the preparation of cigarettes in the TV studio, in front of cameras, promotes the use of tobacco and other products, and encourages children to use such harmful products for the health of children, but not only.” This not only harms children but it contrary to the material law and the Broadcasting Code, which bounds AMSP to place warning signs.
Broadcasting in Sign Language
The AMA’s Board called the attention of audiovisual operators holding a national license to implementation of Law No. 97/2013 “On Audiovisual Media in the Republic of Albania”, as amended, in particular, on broadcasting of content with persons with special sensory needs and taking measures for the concretization of sign-language broadcasting.
By means of official announcements and letters sent, Audiovisual Media Authority informed AMSPs that, for the first meeting of 2019, AMA’s Board has three priorities for monitoring and assessment of communication content: 1. protection of minors from audiovisual communications; 2. surreptitious advertising and commercial communications; 3. audiovisual programs providing information on health and medical products.
Today’s measures are a consequence of previous reprimands imposed against these operators to respect these three priorities.
AMA wants to take the occasion to make an appeal to media operators to observe the Law No. 97/2013 “On Audiovisual Media in the Republic of Albania”, as amended, and the Broadcasting Code while performing their activities.
Audiovisual Media Authority
Tirana, April 17, 2019
