The analysis of the one-year monitoring conducted by the Digital Forensic Center in the period from October 1, 2021, to September 30, 2022, reveals an effort to combine actual facts with false information, exaggerations, or presenting facts out of context to shape public opinion.
The analysis of the 11.510 articles showed that during the 12 previous months, the news portals Alo, Espreso, Srbija danas, Kurir, and Informer had been the most-read Serbian media in Montenegro, and at the same time, the media that most often were spreading the content of debatable quality.
The narratives dominating the Serbian media outlets encourage feelings of unease, insecurity, and worry. If we look back, the image of Montenegro as a criminal state, a mafia organization where human rights are violated and elections are held under numerous irregularities, has been continuously created during the past few years.
The daily coverage of the Serbian media about Montenegro would not be special at all if it did not abound in sensationalist headlines and narratives aimed at a wider audience, which increases the concern about the possibility of manipulating the Montenegrin public even more.
The trend of publication by month shows that tabloids reported the most up-to-date information on Montenegro in January, April, and August, which coincides with the period of the fall of the 42nd Government, the formation of a new minority Government, the signing of the Basic Agreement and the vote of no confidence in the Government of Dritan Abazović.
Additionally, it should be emphasized that the goal of this narrative was to provoke the emotional charge of the citizens and result in additional divisions and tensions. Such reporting has led to dangerous prejudices against Montenegro, its citizens, and institutions among many people in Serbia but also in Montenegro, keeping in mind the reach and the readership of these portals in our country as well. It is evident from the previous that the Serbian media have been paying great attention to Montenegro, but in a highly sensationalist and inciting way, often taking information out of context, violating journalism ethics and the human moral code of conduct.
The analysis can be found HERE.