Newspaper prices and business results

During the previous year, the marketing department of the Radio-Television Vojvodina (RTV) achieved twice the revenue made in the previous year, and four times as much as in 2006, it was announced at a promotion event organized by the department. The continuity of good results of the marketing of RTV will depend on further improvements in the quality of the programme, increased ratings, increased signal coverage, promotion of marketing and programme activities and maintaining of good business relations.
(Dnevnik, 21/05/2011)

Out of major print media outlets, Politika, Dnevnik, NIN and Press have suffered losses in the previous year.
Judging by the financial reports submitted by the print media to the Center for Credit Worthines of the Commercial Registers Agency, Kurir and Vecernje Novosti have dramatically improved their financial position, while NIN is the only one whose financial standing has radically worsened. Kurir has achieved a tenfold increase in the number of its employees, Press has lost a half of its employees, while Politika has significantly reduced its workforce.
(Danas, NUNS, UNS, 12/05/2011)

According to published financial reports available in the Commercial Registers Agency, there were no sensational changes in business operations of commercial TV stations with a national frequency during the last year: apart from Pink International Company, all other TV companies have suffered losses. Pink has more than halved its profit in comparison with the previous year.
(Danas, UNS, 13/05/2011)

The Kingdom of Norway will support the activities of the Press Council – the first self-regulatory body in the media field – via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia with an amount of 176,000 euros. Experts from the Norwegian Press Council and the Association of Editors, as well as the representatives of the Ministry, have offered significant assistance during the formation of the Council, defining of its goals, and solving of organizational issues to its founders: the Media Association, the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS), the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) and Local Press.
(Vecernje Novosti, Politika, Dnevnik, Blic, Press, UNS, 13/05/2011)

Privatization and public media outlets

The announcement that stocks of the local newspaper "Pancevac" would be offered to the public on May 25 has caused a fear of another failed privatization and an extraordinary session of the City Assembly was scheduled for the weekend. "Pancevac" is considered to be the most successful local newspaper in Serbia. A year and a half ago, its privatization was annulled, which means that the Privatization Agency again owns the stocks of the newspaper. The President of the City Assembly of Pancevo, Tigran Kis, says that it is being seriously considered that the newspaper, whose circulation amounts to 14,000 copies, could be managed by the city. If such a solution is not possible, he will suggest the members of the City Assembly to demand that the Privatization Agency annul the decision on the sale of the majority share, at least until a reliable buyer is found.
(Politika, Blic - Vojvodina, 21/05/2011)

After two and a half years, the city television of Smederevo will offer the local City Assembly a plan of operations, announced the director of the TV station, Nebojsa Ristic. The Assembly has discussed the activities of the media outlet most recently in October 2008.
(Vecernje Novosti, UNS, 11/05/2011)

The Securities Committee should complete by mid-July the procedure of establishing connections between the companies which have bought the "Novosti" company. A package amounting to 62 percents of the shares of "Novosti" was purchased in 2006 by three companies – "Trimax", "Ardos" and "Karamat". Two of them are registered in Austria, while the third one is registered on Cyprus.
(Beta, Politika, 20/05/2011)

The city administration of Valjevo has allocated, after a public contest, the money from the budget intended for local electronic media outlets. Out of 4 million dinars, a regional TV Vujic received 1.6 million, regional Radio Patak received 800,000 dinars, while Radio 014 received 600,000 dinars. A Roma Radio Tocak received 200,000 dinars, while 100,000 dinars went to Radio Kula and Radio Istocnik each. 600,000 dinars that were originally intended for the local TV Valjevo remained unallocated, since the privatization of the media outlet had been annulled in the meantime.
(Blic, NUNS, UNS, 16/05/2011)

All of the six local electronic and print media in Bajina Basta refused to report from the last session of the Municipal Assembly protesting the fact that they have not received any funds from the municipal budget. The TV Prima, which used to broadcast the sessions of the Municipal Assembly without any financial support for five years, cannot make any more loans in order to provide free airing of the Assembly's sessions, says the announcement issued by the media company.
(Blic - Srbija, Večernje Novosti, 21/05/2011, Pravda, 24/05/2011)

Broadcasting of parliamentary sessions

At the moment, the National Parliament and the public service broadcaster are negotiating a contract on TV broadcasting. The Parliament had sent its proposal to the RTS, who criticized it. Now a solution acceptable to both sides is being negotiated.
(Vecernje Novosti, 17/05/2011)

The secretary-general of the National Parliament, Veljko Odalovic, said that in a day or two he expects to receive an answer from the public service broadcaster on the conclusion of a contract on broadcasting of parliamentary sessions during the next year. The Parliament's debt in the amount of 3.3 million euros for TV broadcasts during 2006-2011 will not affect the agreement on live broadcasts in this year.
(Politika, Blic,Večernje Novosti, Danas, Dnevnik, Kurir,20/05/2011)

Other news

Although the participants of "The Farm 3" reality show were fighting during the broadcasting of the show, they in fact managed to agree on filing a legal suit against the owner of TV Pink, Zeljko Mitrovic, because of unpaid contractual fees.
(Alo! 20/05/2011)

After preparations have been completed and all licenses issued, Radio Bor began broadcasting its 24-hour programme on May 23, exactly a year after its closure. The license of Radio Bor had been revoked by the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA) because of its failure to remove transmitters on the location that was covered by the license.
(Danas, 24/05/2011)

Issue No. 4
May 12 – May 24, 2011

Abbreviations