The media situation in Serbia

The greatest pressure on the media is exerted by political parties belonging to the ruling coalition, followed by big capital, representatives of local governments and private media owners – this is the opinion of a quarter of journalists in Serbia, as shown by the research "Profession at the crossroads – journalism meets the information society" conducted by the Center for the Media and Media Research within the Faculty of Political Science in Belgrade. Almost a third of the interviewees are not member of trade unions, while two thirds of journalists belong to unions. A majority – almost 90 percent of interviewees – supports conclusion of an industry-wide collective contract for media workers.
(Danas, UNS, 24.06.2011)

Almost 60 percent of journalists in Serbia fear losing their job, while more than 20 percent would leave journalism if offered a better job, said the professor from the Faculty of Political Science, Miroljub Radojkovic, during a presentation of the research "Profession at the crossroads – journalism meets the information society".
(Danas, 25.06.2011)

TheTV language aired by the central news show "Dnevnik", which is broadcast by the RTS, is predominantly the language of power. Representatives of government have a privileged treatment in these media outlets, says the analysis of the news programme of public service media outlets within the research of political pluralism of media content in Serbia. State officials are most often the subjects of this content – more than 20 percent. The mayor of Belgrade "has been the most frequent guest in the programme of the TV Studio B". Among politicians, most of the air time has been dedicated to Boris Tadic, followed by Ivica Dacic, Jelena Trivan, the Government of Serbia, Mladjan Dinkic and Dragan Sutanovac. B. Cvejic
(Danas, UNS, 29.06.2011)

Analysis of six daily newspapers in Serbia describes the unusual practice of citing informal sources, non-identified sources from political parties, unnamed well-informed sources or even rumors. Three influential weekly magazines in Serbia – NIN, Pecat and Vreme – do not offer their readers sufficient diversity of presentation of political topics, sources of information, or their content. Most of the presented opinions originate from the authors of the articles themselves, while there is insufficient presentation of interviewees' opinions, other sources and differing opinions. B Cvejic.
(Danas, UNS, 29.06.2011)

According to the conclusion of the media monitoring project implemented by the legal team of ANEM in May 2011:
• Attacks and pressure on journalists and the media have continued; judicial practice of lenient sentences against attackers is still present.
• Problems related to implementation of regulations by official bodies are continuing.
• The most drastic examples of serious delays or failure to implement government's obligations are evident in the areas of digitalization and privatization. State assistance is the main source of funds for many media outlets, which is the cause of undesirable influence.
• The media legal environment has not been changed during this period. More details
(ANEM, 30.06.2011)

Researchers from the Department of Media Study within the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad conduct a regular research on the forms of violations of media freedom and rights of journalists in Serbia.
(UNS, 04.07. 2011)

According to the research, democratic freedom in Serbia is still in its infancy, while the media are still under a strong pressure exerted by the government. The president of the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS), Ljiljana Smajlovic, said that the media are exposed to strong pressure aimed at preventing them from truly articulating the discontent of citizens.
(Gradjanski list, 5. jul 2011)

The state and the media

The Anti-Corruption Agency has adopted a decision according to which the Minister of Culture, Informing and Information Society, Predrag Markovic, cannot serve as a minister and at the same time work as an editor in the publishing company "Stubovi Kulture – Vreme Knjige" d.o.o.
(NUNS, UNS, 24.06.2011)

While ruling political parties have announced their intention to begin the long-awaited depolitization of managing boards of public companies, the authors of the research conducted by the Blic daily newspaper have listed public companies controlled by political parties, among them "Niska TV" (controlled by G17) and Radio-TV Kragujevac (controlled by the political coalition Zajedno za Sumadiju).
(Blic, 30.06.2011)

The Minister of Culture and Informing, Predrag Markovic, has announced that the Ministry would appoint a state secretary whose activities would relate to media issues, with the aim to analyse and improve the very complex media scene in Serbia. He said that the previous public debate on media strategy, organized in several cities in Serbia, has proved the existence of numerous similar interests and various motives.
(Tanjug, Pravda, Kurir, UNS, 04.07.2011)

Tadic attends the "South, Central and East Europe Investigative Journalism Days"

Serbia has never in its history enjoyed the degree of freedom that is available now, said the President of Serbia, Boris Tadic, during the SEEMO conference on investigative journalism. Tadic also added that it was the duty of journalists to control the work of state and government representatives, and that the media should also have the role of partners of the government.
(Danas, NUNS, UNS, 30.06.2011)

The media and journalists have an important role – just like politicians – in the development of the society. Journalists have become a social institution of sorts. It is not possible to build democracy without such an institution. "Criticize the President of Serbia if you believe it is necessary", said the President Tadic.
(Alo, NUNS, Blic, Vecernje Novosti, 30.06.2011)

The President of Serbia, Boris Tadic, said that some of the existing media outlets were objectionable. "But some people object to what I do and say – this is democracy".
(Kurir NUNS, 30.06.2011)

Serbia has not built independent journalism, said President Tadic, and added that the transparent ownership over the media is the necessary precondition for creation of a democratic and institutionalized society. He also emphasized that some of the journalists themselves are opposed to transparent media ownership.
(Pravda, 30.06.2011)

In order to build the so-called independent journalism, it is necessary to start from the beginning and identify the murderers of journalists. In Tadic's words, societies that are undergoing changes cannot achieve success without a partnership between journalists and political parties. In his answer to a question about initiation of legal proceedings against so-called warmongering journalists, Tadic emphasized that it was a very sensitive and serious issue, and that it was necessary to make a clear distinction between those who had spoken their mind and those who had committed criminal offenses.
(Dnevnik, 30.06.2011)

In President Tadic's opinion, journalists and the media should act as controllers, but also as partners to the government. Today, the media are certainly partners to the government, while, unfortunately, their role as controllers has been neglected. Analyses about political pluralism have shown that most of the available space in daily newspapers, weeklies, and the public service broadcaster is dedicated to representatives of ruling political parties. Having in mind the difficult position of journalists as individuals, as well as the problems in business operations of media companies, it could be estimated that the role of government's partners is much more "profitable" at the moment. Despite everything, representatives of the government keep saying that the media should be independent and that they need assistance. Perhaps the best assistance to journalists would be if the government stopped interfering with their work.
(Danas, UNS, 01.07.2011)

On murders of journalists

The truck driver, Dragan Paravinja, who was arrested in Bosnia and Herzegovina on suspicion of being connected with the disappearance of 17-year old girl Antonija Bilic from Croatia, said in his "goodbye note" that he knew who killed Dada Vujasinovic, a journalist of the weekly magazine "Duga" from Belgrade. She was renowned for her reports on armed conflicts in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as her investigative articles and reports on organized crime.
(Alo!, UNS, 27.06.2011)

Attacks, threats and proceedings against the media and journalists

Dejan Milenkovic Bagzi, a former member of the "Zemun Clan" whose members have been convicted for the murder of the Prime Minister of Serbia, Zoran Djindjic, initiated a lawsuit against the editor-in-chief of the Pravda daily newspaper because of alleged damage to his reputation and honor and endangerment of the safety of his family.
(Pravda, 29.06.2011)

The Higher Court in Belgrade held the first session related to the lawsuit submitted by Dejan Milenkovic Bagzi, a former member of the "Zemun Clan". The secretary general of the Journalists' Association of Serbia, Nino Brajovic, is of the opinion that the lawsuit is absurd from at least three different aspects. A member of the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS), Jelka Jovanovic, said that "Bagzi has the right to initiate lawsuits, since he enjoys all civil rights", but that it was "unusual that a man with such a past would sue anyone for damage to his reputation and honor".
(Pravda, NUNS, UNS, Politika, 30.06.2011)

A journalist, the vice president and spokesperson of the "Pink Media Group", Tanja Vojtehovski (40), has been given police protection two days ago after receiving threats. The police is searching for Zoran Dj. who is suspected of authoring the threatening letter. E. Sadiku
(Alo!, UNS, 01.07.2011, Alo!, 02.07.2011)

The police in Leskovac has raised criminal charges against Ivan Coguric (40) because of "reckless and ruthless behavior and insults aimed at the journalist from the local TV station Protokol K1, Ivana Velickovic". "I was endangered, but the police officers prevented a more serious incident", said Ivana Velickovic to journalists.
(Juzne vesti 05.07.2011)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) condemned yesterday the attack on the journalists with the TV K1 from Leskovac, Ivana Velickovic, and called on the police and judiciary to take appropriate measure and ensure that the attacker, Ivan Coguric, is adequately punished.
(Beta, Danas, NUNS, NDNV, 05.07.2011)

The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) strongly condemns the repeated threats against the correspondent of the Vecernje Novosti newspaper, Vladimir Mitric, that have been made by the football player Savo Milosevic and his family. The Association demands that the authorities react immediately and apply the Criminal Code in this case. The tragedy suffered by the Milosevic family cannot serve as an excuse for threats against the journalist whose murder has already been attempted and who has been living under permanent police protection since 2005.
(UNS, 05.07 2011)

Appointment of the management of the public service broadcaster

The Managing Board of Radio-Television Vojvodina has decided that Sinisa Isakov will be the new general director of the media company. Mr. Isakov is an electrical and IT engineer and has been employed by the TV station since 1980, where he has worked in numerous positions from the technical engineer to the assistant technical director of production and equipment. He has suspended all his rights and obligations related to his employment with the RTV because of his appointment as the assistant secretary for traffic and telecommunications in the Government of Vojvodina. In his program, Isakov estimated that the Vojvodina TV and Radio Novi Sad were at the lowest point since their founding, that the position of these media companies is characterized by disappointingly low ratings, especially in the case of the TV, and that the lack of financial income have resulted in low motivation of employees. (Danas, Kurir, 02.07.2011)

The Media Strategy

The representatives of media associations in Serbia have presented to foreign diplomats and OSCE representatives the Draft Media Strategy that is now being publicly discussed.
(Beta, Politika, Blic, UNS, Dnevnik, 23. jun 2011)

During the public debate on the Draft Media Strategy in Belgrade we will demand that the action plan include an obligation to establish a representative organisation of employers, to initiate social dialog, and to set a deadline for conclusion of an industry-wide collective contract, said the president of the Journalists' Union of Serbia, Dragana Cabarkapa.
(Danas, 24.06.2011)

The Draft Media Strategy is a crucial document for us and we hope that after the public debate the Ministry of Culture will propose to the Government a document that would not be significantly different from our draft. We hope that after the public discussion the Ministry will understand that the draft media strategy is a document that should not be put aside or significantly altered. The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) demands that media organisations, associations and the media industry be given a chance to voice their opinion after the Ministry prepares its proposal. Vukasin Obradovic
(Blic, 26.06.2011, Danas, Pravda, 27.06.2011)

The Assembly of the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) demands that the Ministry of Culture deliver the proposed Media Strategy before its adoption to media associations and organisations. (Kurir, Blic, NUNS, UNS, 27.06.2011)

During the public discussion about the media strategy in Nis, media representatives from Nis, Aleksinac, Vranje, Pirot and other parts of the Serbian region, were mostly of the opinion that the strategy should envision formation of regional public service broadcasters because the two public service broadcasters cannot adequately report on events in all regions in Serbia. The idea of creation of regional public service broadcasters was supported by representatives of the local self-government in Nis.
(Pregled, 27.06.2011)

The public debate on the Draft Media Strategy will be extended until July 15, after which the finalized text will be prepared and enter the procedure during August. It is expected that the Government of Serbia then adopts the Strategy near the beginning of September, said yesterday the state secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Informing and Information Society, Dragana Milicevic Milutinovic. At a round table held in Belgrade, she said that during the previous public debate 90 percent of disagreements had been related to the absolute withdrawal of the state from media ownership.
(Danas, Dnevnik, Vecernje Novosti, UNS, 28.06.2011, ABC Srbija Newsletter, 29.06.20)

On June 15 last year in the Media Center, two ministers (Bradic and Markovic) gave their public support to efforts to introduce solutions in the procedure of financing of local media outlets that would ensure financing of media content instead of employees' salaries, and to introduce project-based financing instead of subsidies, as well as public contests, formation of independent committees, clear criteria for allocation of funds, complete transparency in decision-making etc. After almost a year, the Ministry of Culture published on its web site the Recommendation for Financing of Local Media Outlets which states that local self-government allocates only a part of the total funds intended for informing, while the Ministry has included the representatives of the local self-government in "independent" committees. The Ministry of Culture proposes the final text of the Media Strategy. I do not want to be malicious and to claim that we should expect various surprises. Vukasin Obradovic
(Danas, 29.06.2011)

The Section for Culture and Information of the Bosniak National Council (BNV) has asked the Ministry of Culture and Informing to redefine the broadcasting districts in Serbia, to ensure more complete and comprehensive mechanisms for protection of the rights of national minorities and to include six municipalities from Sandzak (Novi Pazar, Sjenica, Tutin, Priboj, Prijepolje and Nova Varos) – mostly or predominantly inhabited by Bosniaks – into a single broadcasting district.
(Blic - Srbija, UNS, 29.06.2011, Danas, NUNS, 30.06.2011, Vecernje Novosti, 04.07.2011)

The Draft Media Strategy is a set of solutions that should result in advancement of public interest and regulation of the media scene in Serbia, it was said yesterday during the presentation of the media monitoring by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. The participants were concerned because of the Ministry's stated intention to decide on the final version of the media strategy on its own, without alternative solutions and without taking into account the opinion of journalistic associations.
(Beta, Danas, NUNS, 30.06.2011)

The new issue of the Media Center Newsletter offers three analyses of the media strategy authored by independent observers. MC Newsletter
(MC, 01.07.2011)

Minority media outlets

The case of Magyar Szó

The Subotica section of the Democratic Party said yesterday that the "manner of and explanation for the initiation of the procedure for dismissal of the editor-in-chief of the daily newspaper Magyar Szó, Caba Presburger, constitutes one of the most serious and ruthless attacks on the media in Serbia in the 21st century". "The Managing Board has estimated that the editor was guilty of insufficiently affirmative and, especially, insufficiently frequent reporting on the activities of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians and its leaders."
(Danas, 24.06.2011)

The SEEMO organisation has condemned the political pressure on the Hungarian-language daily newspaper in Vojvodina, Magyar Szó. In the words of SEEMO, the independent editorial policy of Caba Presburger did not satisfy the dominant political party in the Council. "Magyar Szó, as the only newspaper published in Hungarian language in Serbia, should not serve the interest of a single political party, but the interest of the public", said the secretary general of SEEMO, Oliver Vujovic.
(Beta, Danas, 24.06.2011)

The editor of Magyar Szó has been removed from his position, and a long-time journalist from the newspaper, Marta Varja, was appointed as the acting editor. The decision was made by the Hungarian National Council after several hours of discussion. The Assembly of Vojvodina had previously transferred to the Hungarian National Council its founding rights over the only daily newspaper of the Hungarian national minority in the province. The yesterday's discussion about Magyar Szó lasted more than four hours, during which time around twenty journalists of Magyar Szó gathered in front of the Hungarian National Council to demonstrate their support to the dismissed editor, Presburger. Among them were the renowned writer, Oto Tolnai, the president of the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS), Ljiljana Smajlovic, and a representatives of OSCE.
(Tanjug, B92, 24.06.2011)

The dismissed editor, Caba Presburger, and the 80 percent of employees who have voted against his dismissal, are of the opinion that the whole affair has a political background. Certain public personalities have offered their support to the former editor, including a large number of non-governmental organizations belonging to the Hungarian community – which claim that the current situation is more dangerous than the similar one 22 years ago, when one of Milosevic's associates, Radoman Bozovic, attempted to put Magyar Szó under his control but was successfully defeated by the newspaper's journalists.
(Tanjug, Danas, Press, Pravda, 25.06.2011)

The only daily newspaper in Hungarian language, Magyar Szó, published yesterday on its front page a photograph of the proclamation of 1848 about the freedom of the press. The editorial office of the newspaper and most of its journalists are opposed to the Hungarian National Council's opinion that – being a public service media outlet – they should convey information instead of expressing opinions. On the other hand, during the session, a journalist and a member of the Information Committee of the Hungarian National Council, Istvan Bodzoni, said that the freedom of the media is important but that it should not exceed the limits set by the Council. A. Isakov
(Politika, 25.06.2011)

A writer and honourable citizen of Subotica, Oto Tolnai, said: "A while ago, the Hungarian National Council and the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians raised their voice against privatization of the media in minority languages, while now they have proved by dismissing the editor-in-chief of Magyar Szó that the National Council is incapable of preserving the freedom of the press". The vice president of the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS), Jelka Jovanovic, said that it was important to provide information in minority languages but that it cannot be achieved by giving founding rights to national councils, especially taking into account that the founding rights are perhaps even more important than ownership rights because they do not entail responsibility for financing and survival of the media.
(Dnevnik, 25.06.2011)

Members of the Hungarian National Council in Serbia who were opposed to the decision to dismiss Caba Presburger from the position of the editor-in-chief of the Magyar Szó newspaper gathered yesterday in front of the building where the Novi Sad office of the newspaper is located. Although a day earlier most members of the editorial office of the only daily newspaper in Hungarian language in Serbia gave their support to Presburger, no one of the journalists joined the protesters. Cila Porsos, the vice president of the Hungarian National Council, is convinced that Presburger was dismissed by falsifying the votes of the members of the Council, since the live broadcasting on TV Panonija was suddenly interrupted immediately before the vote. We will demand dismissal of the editor-in-chief of TV Panonija because of this incident, said Ms. Porsos. Her colleague from the Council, Janos Hadzi, said to the Kurir daily that Presburger was removed from his position with assistance from the police, whih prevented journalists from entering the building where the Council's session was being held. Jovica Krtinic
(Kurir, 25.06.2011)

In her comment on the dismissal of the editor of Magyar Szó, Marta Palic says: "At the national level, the government has to make serious effort to influence major newspapers. At the local level, this is much easier, as we can see. Aside from this, the draft strategy on public informing – which envisions privatization of minority media – is being publicly debated now. You be the judge – who is the better 'boss': private owners or politicians?"
(Dnevnik, 26.06.2011)

A public discussion on the lates events related to Magyar Szó brought together around 20 young intellectuals, writers and journalists, among them a literature historian, Laslo Gerold, philosopher Alpar Losonc and writer Laslo Vegel. Laslo Gerold emphasized that the explanation that the freedom of the media should be limited by interests of the community is questionable and that it often serves to hide the political interests. Alpar Losonc said that the problems described by the Hungarian National Council were not significant from the journalistic point of view. Laslo Vegel sees in the affair a crisis of the political elite that has been in power for some 15 years and which is incapable of finding a response to new challenges and forced to apply such half-solutions. The participants of the discussion agreed that it was necessary to continue all forms of the intellectual resistance against this decision by the National Council.
(Madjar So, Danas, 06.07.2011)

Ethics in and around the media

The Democratic Community of Croats (DZH) demanded yesterday in its open letter to the president of the Council of the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA), bishop Porfirije, that the right of TV Prva to a national frequency be revoked because of insults against the Catholic Church and hate speech against the Croatian people aired during the show "Evening with Ivan Ivanovic". They claim that Ivanovic has expressed his hatred against Croatians many times, and that he has incited interethnic hatred.
(Alo!, Blic, 27.06.2011, Danas, 29.06.2011)

A PR manager of TV Prva, Sladjana Paunovic, said that TV Prva would soon comment on the protest of the Democratic Community of Croats (DZH) against the TV host's "invitation to Al-Qaeda to wait until Croatia enters the EU before planting an atomic bomb, with clear insinuation where to place it", as an invitation to interethnic hatred.
(Politika, 28.06.2011)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) has asked the Council of the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA) to act on the complaint submitted by the Democratic Community of Croats (DZH) and to investigate the alleged insults against the Catholic Church and hate speech against the Croatian people. If the state reacted at the highest level in the case of American comic Chelsea Handler, who has insulted the Serbian people, there is no reason to act differently on the issue of protection of another nation in its own media, said the president of NUNS, Vukasin Obradovic.
(Pravda, Kurir, 24 sata, 28.06.2011)

Chelsea Handler's insults against the citizens of Serbia have been condemned by the Ambassador of Serbia in the USA and the Minister of Defense, Dragan Sutanovac. On the other hand, DZH claims that Ivanovic has expressed his hatred against Croatians many times, and that his attitude has incited interethnic hatred. In the opinion of DZH, TV Prva "is not welcome with such concept in the media scene of Vojvodina and Serbia". "Even an invitation to Al-Qaeda to kill members of a nation has not caused any reaction from the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA), the relevant ministry or any other relevant state bodies", emphasized the political party. The vice president of the RRA, Goran Karadzic, said to Dnevnik that he had heard about the letter sent by DZH to the Agency, but that the letter had not been received yet. In the meantime, Ivanovic has reacted as well. He said the the announcement issued by DZH "was full of lies" and that the organisation was attempting to gain media attention. Apart from humiliating "jokes" about the gay population, he is also fond of "jokes" about most of the nations in the Balkans.
(Dnevnik, Blic, 28.06.2011)

This is a plot worthy of Shakespeare. Americans do not have the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA), they have Chelsea Handler. We have Ivan Ivanovic and the RRA. Chelsea Handler was invited via the Embassy of Serbia in the USA to publicly apologize to Serbians. But when Ivan tells a joke, he does not apologize. If you insult another nation or religion, is it logical to publicly say: "Let them sue me" or perhaps: "I am sorry, that was not funny. I won't do it anymore. I resign." And after that to explain what humor is. You mention in the prime time slot Al-Qaeda, Croatians and the atomic bomb in the same sentence, while at the same time thinking "I have introduced new standards in the domestic TV tragicomedy". The RRA reacts, but only too late. Until the next programme, next incident, live sex, insults against Jews, Croatians, Bushmen or the common sense. Ivana Stojanov
(Blic, 28.06.2011)

The Council of the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA) announced that it had initiated proceedings against the TV Prva because of its programme "The Evening with Ivan Ivanovic". At the next session of the Council of the RRA, a representative of TV Prva will be invited to give an official statement about the controversial content.
(RRA,Politika, Danas, Press, Pravda, Kurir, Vecernje Novosti, Dnevnik, UNS, 30.06.2011)

Politika has published a letter sent by the Democratic Community of Croatians (DZH) to the president of the Republic Broadcasting Council – who is a bishop of the Serbian Orthodox Church – demanding revocation of the broadcasting license issued to TV Prva in the territory of Vojvodina because of its frequent insults against Catholics and Croatians.
(Politika, UNS, 01.07.2011)

Media reports on serious crime often look like pictures from police, court and forensic investigations or, even worse, as scenes from horror films showing blood in the streets, walls or floors. Even more morally repulsive are certain media companies that present personal and family tragedies together with political gossip, semi-pornography and "celebrity" stories. The message is that everything is for sale, including human pain. The media ethics should entail professionalism as well as responsibility instead of journalistic extremism and irresponsibility. Aleksandar L. Jugovic
(Politika, 01.07.2011)

Issue No. 6
24 June – 06 July 2011