Original article (in Montenegrin) was published on 23/4/2024; Author: Jelena Jovanović
The expectation that politicians, particularly public officials in democratic societies, should be accountable to the public through media appearances and by engaging with journalists is a standard one.
Television programs are often designed to provide audiences with answers to pressing questions that affect everyone. However, sometimes these shows can become a platform for spreading disinformation rather than informative discussion.
“WHEN A CONCERT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ESSENTIAL STATE MATTERS: Minister Odovic leaves live TV show to listen to Aleksandra Prijovic (VIDEO)” – reads the headline of Standard Portal (archived here) published after the broadcast of the “Okvir” TV show on Television of Montenegro. The show featured Janko Odovic, the Minister of Spatial Planning, Urbanism, and State Property, as one of its participants. Aleksandra Prijovic is a Serbian folk singer who gained significant popularity in recent years, with concerts sold out all over the region.
The article adds the following:
“The new government and new ministers with new habits, are thus setting some new rules for appearances on live TV shows.
So, the Minister of Spatial Planning, Urbanism, and State Property left a broadcast on the Public Broadcasting Service before its conclusion because he had urgent obligations to attend Aleksandra Prijovic’s concert in Podgorica.”
The writing of Standard Portal was also circulated by Kodex.me, and further amplified on their Facebook pages, leading to widespread sharing among social media users (1, 2, 3).
However, the authenticity of this report was contested by the editor and host of the “Okvir” TV show, Zoran Lekovic. He clarified that the show was not broadcast live but was pre-recorded on Friday, April 19, at 4 p.m. According to Lekovic, “Minister Odovic was in Parliament, answering parliamentary questions, so we could only record from 4 to 6 p.m. We were initially delayed due to technical issues, and he announced that he could stay until 6:15 p.m. due to subsequent obligations, which were ministerial in nature as the concert started much later. He would have stayed until the end of the show if not for our initial delay,” Lekovic explained in a statement to Raskrinkavanje.
The Minister responded to the claims made by Standard Portal, stating, “The ‘Okvir’ TV show was recorded on Friday at 4:00 p.m., meaning that the show was not aired live. Just before the scheduled recording, I emphasized that I had scheduled commitments after the recording.”
The show was aired on the First Channel of the Television of Montenegro at 8 p.m.
It is confirmed that Minister Odovic attended the concert of regional star Aleksandra Prijovic on April 19 in Podgorica, as evidenced by photos on social media. However, this fact does not reflect on his commitment to the media or to citizens, as the concert took place several hours after his departure from the Television of Montenegro’s studio, post 8 p.m.
Given that the show was not broadcast live but was recorded earlier, as verified by both the show’s creator and the minister, the posts by Standard Portal and Kodex, as well as the posts on social media, are assessed as manipulation of facts.
The “Manipulation of Facts” rating is assigned to media reports that, while using known and accurate facts, interpret them in a misleading way. Such reports typically use correct information to foster incorrect conclusions or claims, misleading the audience about the actual implications of the presented facts.