Media business operations

The owner of Radio Cacak has paid seven and a half late salaries he owed since June of the last year, with the last paid month being January 2012. February salary is still due. In his words, employees of the radio station began regular broadcasting of the station's programme today.
(Beta, NUNS, 04.04.2012, Danas, UNS, 05.04.2012)

The editor of TV Vujic (VTV) from Valjevo, Milan Milinovic, requested that the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA) relieve the station of all obligations towards the RRA and RATEL during the election campaign. "If our request is not fulfilled, we will demand compensation from the authorities because of the damage done to us. Our survival is threatened because three illegal broadcasters have been operating in Valjevo for several years: these are TV stations Cronic, Mars and Link, both in the terrestrial and cable systems, and they are not paying any fees or financial obligations".
(Beta, NDNV, 03.04.2012, Pregled, UNS, NUNS, Danas, 04.04.2012)

ABC Serbia, IREX and USAID organized the first regional Serbia Online Advertising Tour in Palic at Hotel President on March 30. The event brought together 90 participants from the web, media and advertising industries. More information is available here: abcsrbija.com/dogadjaji/odrzani-dogadjaji/139-odran-prvi-serbia-online-advertising-tour-.html
(ABC Serbia, 03.04.2012)

Company "Stampa Sistem" informed the Committee for Protection of Competition that it had decided to refrain from taking over the bankrupted company "Futura Plus".
(Beta, E kapija, 05.04.2012)

Company "Stampa Sistem" has announced its intention to submit a new request for approval of takeover of the company "Futura Plus". "Stampa Sistem" withdrew the request it had previously submitted to the Committee for Protection of Competition with regard to concentration of media ownership and "Futura Plus". The company points out that this does not mean that it has given up on its intention and that a new request for approval of concentration of ownership will be submitted as soon as is procedurally possible.
(Beta, E kapija, 06.04.2012)

The proposed Advertising Code, which already exists in 22 European countries and which would regulate ethical standards in the field of marketing, will be presented within the Digital Day event organized by the Interactive Advertising Bureau Serbia (IAB) on 25 April. The Advertising Code is based on the International Code of Marketing Communication, but it also responds to the needs of the local market, i.e. those areas that could present challenges in Serbia.
(Danas, NUNS, 04.04.2012)

Privatization and state-owned media

A municipal station, Radio-Television Homolje, was formally opened in the Cultural-Educational Center "Jovan Serbanovic" in Zagubica. With this move, Radio Homolje, which has been in existence for 15 years, has grown into a news center.
(Vecernje Novosti – Serbia, Press, 29.03.2012)

At the request of the Journalists' Union of Serbia and the employees of TV Pirot, the Privatization Agency has terminated the contract on privatization of the regional media company. The station was bought on 8 November 2007 by Milorad Pejic from Pirot. The decision on the termination of the contract says that it was established that the buyer had not fulfilled contractual obligations despite being given additional time. TV Pirot has a regional frequency.
(Juzne vesti, 28.03.2012, Vecernje Novosti, UNS, NUNS, E kapija, 30.03.2012)

German media company VAC is officially selling its share in "Politika", reports daily newspaper Vecernje Novosti. In accordance with the right of purchase, the stocks worth 4.7 million euros were offered to co-owner, the company "Politika" a.d., which is obliged to make a decision until 12 April. The decision has to be adopted by the Assembly of Shareholders, which will take place on 17 April – long after the end of the deadline. The offer also states that "Ost Holding", the formal holder of the share owned by VAC, has a financial share in the capital of "Politika" worth 15 million euros and a non-financial share worth 24 million euros. Both shares are offered for the price of 4.7 million euros, payable in two installments.
(Vecernje Novosti, UNS, 07.04.2012)