Podgorica, (MINA) – Audience measurement is not only a technical issue but the foundation of advertising and an important indicator of media pluralism, said director of the Agency for Audiovisual Media Services (AMU) Suncica Bakic, adding that the agency’s role is to insist on methodological transparency and the availability of relevant data.

Bakic made these remarks at the round table presenting the study “Measuring the Media Audience in Montenegro – Analysis of the System and Methodology of Television Viewership Measurment”, organized by AMU in cooperation with the OSCE Mission to Montenegro.

 

 

 

 

 

According to Bakic, the European Media Freedom Act, which has entered into force in the EU, sets clear rules regarding the transparency, impartiality and verifiability of the audience measurement system.

“Future amendments to our legislation, as well as further harmonization with this European framework, should lead to the improvement of the existing measurement system”, said Bakic.

She said that upcoming legislative amendments, through cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Media and other relevant actors, should aim to define the regulatory framework, ensuring alignment with the European Media Freedom Act and at the same time respecting the characteristics of the Montenegrin market.

Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro Giovanni Gabassi, said that Montenegro’s media landscape is developing rapidly, crating the need for a transparent and reliable system of measuring radio and television audiences.

He added that reliable audience measurement is not a technical issue, but a key instrument for promoting a fair, transparent and sustainable media market.

According to Gabassi, accurate and independent data enables advertisers, broadcasters, policymakers and the public to make informed evidence-based decisions.