The Press Council Commission did not have the necessary majority to decide on the violation of the anti-discrimination provisions of the Code of Ethics in journalism in the article "Against Violence, Not against Men and Women" published in Politika daily. This text, according to the Commission's decision, violates the articles relating to the truthfulness of reporting (Section I, point 5) and journalistic attention (Section V, point 1). At the same time, the Press Council did not recognize the violation of the Code in the article “Medea's Revenge”, published in the same newspaper, also appealed against by AWC.
This is not the first time Autonomous Women's Center has appealed against the Press Council whose Commission does not have a sufficient number of votes to establish a violation of ethical provisions on the prohibition of discrimination. As the Council is an important self-regulatory body with the highest ethical standards of the journalistic profession, we express our concern that the Commission has failed to recognize the presence of discrimination against women in media articles. At the same time, we propose to the Press Council to find the reasons for this and additionally sensitize members of the Commission on the issue of discrimination.
Let us remind you, Autonomous Women's Center appealed twice against the Press Council in late July, regarding the articles “Against Violence, Not against Men and Women” signed by “Dr. Petar Velickovic” and “Medea's Revenge”, by Zoran Milivojevic, both published in Politika daily.
The Press Council decision on the first article is available here, and on the second one here.