Translated material
Time program
The methodology for monitoring the equality of the presence of parliamentary parties on state broadcasts so far suits only United Russia.
The Central Election Commission recently held a meeting with representatives of political parties, at which they discussed the procedure and methods for recording airtime allocated to cover the activities of each parliamentary party in all-Russian and regional television and radio programs. The “small” parliamentary parties still have concerns that there will still be more “United Russia” in the state media.As you know, in mid-May the law “On guarantees of equality of parliamentary parties when covering their activities by state public television and radio channels” came into force. It provides for equal coverage of the activities of parties by state public television and radio channels, as well as the publicity of state control over this process.
In the methodology for recording the volume of airtime, which the Central Election Commission is working on, it is planned to take into account such indicators as the number of messages containing information about parties, the general timing of statements and speeches of representatives of parliamentary parties.
The parties themselves were actively involved in the process of developing the methodology, mainly the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and A Just Russia. The Communist Party of the Russian Federation, for example, provided two and a half pages of its comments and suggestions on the methodology. The most important problem, according to State Duma deputy from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Sergei Obukhov, is the possibility of ensuring the information advantage of United Russia with the help of current legislation.
“We do not agree with the principles that are written in the legislation regarding officials. For example, Boris Gryzlov, who is the Speaker of the State Duma and also one of the leaders of the United Russia party, can appear on air much more than representatives of opposition parties.” ,” Comrade Obukhov explained the party position to Vremya Novostei.
At a meeting at the Central Election Commission, another problem was discussed: Sergei Danilenko, a member of the Central Election Commission with the right of advisory vote from A Just Russia, proposed to consider also the quality accounting of airtime provided to parties. “The law does not stipulate anything about taking into account the time of release of information messages relating, for example, to prime time, as well as positive or negative information,” he said. Also, according to him, the role of the working group for monitoring coverage of parties’ activities in state media is not completely clear: “Judging by the norms that are in the documents, its role seems formal. There are no real mechanisms that can control the process (coverage of the work of parties. - Ed. ).”
After the meeting, at a meeting with journalists, CEC member Maya Grishina, who is responsible for developing the methodology, admitted that United Russia was the most “agreeable” with all the provisions of the methodology.
Accounting of airtime allocated by state public television channels and radio stations to cover the activities of parliamentary parties will be carried out from September 1, 2009. The monitoring will involve federal TV channels Rossiya, RIC Vesti and radio stations Radio Rossii, Mayak, Vesti FM, as well as 89 regional television and radio companies. Also, according to Ms. Grishina, from September a working group will begin the process of monitoring airtime, which will include one representative from each of the four parliamentary parties and two representatives of VGTRK. This working group will discuss issues such as measures in case of violation of equal coverage of the activities of political parties, inactive participation of regional media, the possibility of taking into account the time of release of messages - prime time or, for example, morning hours.