Russian Federation

[RU] Regulations Governing Election Campaigns in State Mass Media

IRIS 1995-10:1/14

Volker Kreutzer

Institute of European Media Law (EMR), Saarbrücken/Brussels

In September of this year, the electoral commission of the Russian Federation approved the new regulations governing election campaigns in state mass media within its frontiers. The regulations cover both state radio and television companies and periodicals in which the state is involved. State radio and television companies include all companies which have been set up wholly or in part by official government departments. Publications with state involvement are considered to be those which have been brought out by official state-level departments or which are funded to at least 25% from state budgets or from a budget of part of the Russian Federation. The regulations give electoral blocks, electoral associations and parliamentary candidates the right to air-time on state television. The right to both cost-free and paid air-time is provided for. The right of electoral blocks and electoral associations to cost-free air-time can be exercised against broadcasting companies which cover half or a greater part of the Russian Federation. Local candidates campaigning in one constituency can only exercise their right against broadcasting companies with local audiences. The right to paid air-time can be exercised against all local broadcasting companies. The air-time can be divided up in many different ways but only 10% of the time can be used for direct electoral advertising. Electoral advertising has its own specific form using special advertising methods such as personal praise and appealing to personal feelings. State periodicals are also subject to similar electoral campaign regulations as state radio and television companies. These publications are in general used to publish electoral communications. The central electoral commission carefully observes whether these regulations are being kept to by the different parts of the Russian Federation. In this respect, expert groups can be set up, composed of commission members, journalists and legal experts.