CRA warns media: Respect the Election Law and the Rulebook on the presentation and public advertising of political entities

(Patria) - The Communications Regulatory Agency (Agency) reminds of the obligation to respect Chapter 16 of the Election Law of BiH and the Rulebook on media presentation and public advertising of political entities during the election period, in connection with the holding of Local Elections in BiH on October 6, 2024.

The official start of the election campaign for the Local Elections in BiH is September 6, 2024, and lasts 30 days. Accordingly, direct addresses by political entities, as well as the broadcasting of paid political advertising, begins on September 6, 2024, and lasts until the start of the election silence.

In order to enable the exercise of equal rights to access information, the Agency on this occasion calls on all television stations to make election programs as accessible as possible to persons with hearing impairments, as well as to blind and partially sighted persons, and persons with intellectual disabilities and learning/reading difficulties. Public television stations have an obligation to ensure the broadcasting of direct addresses in a format accessible to persons with hearing/visual impairments.

Finally, the Agency reminds that the election silence applies to the entire territory of BiH and all providers of audiovisual media services and radio media services. The election silence begins 24 hours before the opening of polling stations, i.e., on October 5, 2024, at 7:00 a.m., and lasts until their closing, while the ban on publishing public opinion poll results begins 48 hours before the opening of polling stations, i.e., on October 4, 2024, at 07:00 a.m., and lasts until the closing of polling stations.