The media situation in Serbia

Representatives of employees of TV Avala and newspapers Ekonomist and Pravda, as well as the Journalists' Union of Serbia, delivered yesterday a letter to the president of Serbia, Tomislav Nikolic, demanding that he meet them so that they could inform him about the difficult situation in the media.
(Beta, Pregled, Politika, 08.06.2012)

Dusan Masic, a representative of BBC World Service, offered the following proposals to President Tomislav Nikolic:

1. All pirate radio stations that are currently broadcasting their programme, including even on the national (regional) level, should be closed down, their equipment confiscated and criminal charges brought against their owners.
2. The media should be allowed to pay the VAT after they receive the money from invoices.
3. Public companies should be privatized or placed under the auspices of Radio-Television Serbia (RTS). Studio B could be the first on this list.
4. RTS income should be separated into income from the TV fee and income from advertisements. The income from the TV fee must not be used for purchase of commercial programmes.
5. The Broadcasting Law should be amended (or clarified), allowing commercial radio stations 12 minutes of advertisements per hour (instead of only six, as currently interpreted).
6. New negotiations should be launched about collection of royalties and implementation of the model from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
7. Broadcasting licenses should be taken away from all media outlets whose owners have not paid salaries and pension contributions to their employees for more than three months.
8. A new strategy of allocation of broadcasting frequencies should be implemented, which would achieve reduction in the number of radio and TV stations by at least 50 percent, allowing the remaining surviving stations to operate normally.
9. A new fund should be created using the money collected from TV fees (3% for radio and 3% for TV), which would be intended for local projects and allocated by the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA) (similarly to Croatia).
10. The TV fee should be collected via cable providers (60% of Serbian population uses cable services and the users would not risk losing all their programmes and internet access if they fail to pay the TV fee).
11. RTS should be transformed and regional centers formed.
12. Foreign media companies should be allowed to own radio and TV stations in Serbia, as well as to own several stations on all levels if the total audience share of their stations does not exceed 40 percent.
13. Stations should be allowed to form networks (in the programme-related and business sense) provided that they retain the lowest allowed number of employees in each local station.
14. The criteria of the media's contribution to society should be introduced (What will they do for the local community?) and considered in the process of allocation of frequencies (similarly to the situation in the USA).
15. The Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA) should be transformed into an independent regulatory body that would do its job (which would be a good start).
(RAB Srbija Newsletter, 11.06.2012)

Tamara Spaic writes in the daily newspaper Blic: "What is common for both the former and the current president of Serbia? Their relationship towards Blic. Both of them do not want to answer to our journalists' questions and they divide journalists into two categories. The situation reminds us of the nineties and the rule of Milosevic, when presidents, prime ministers and party officials were hostile and unavailable to Blic. The politicians' attitude is perhaps best evidenced by the fact that they are not even trying to hide that they are unsatisfied with the media's reporting. The questions asked by Blic were as follows. Questions for Boris Tadic: Who are the financiers behind his political party? Why have the state institutions not been freed from the influence of political parties? Why has the policy towards Kosovo been inconsistent? Have you usurped the authority belonging to the prime minister, which is constitutionally separated from the authority of the president? Have the disputed 24 privatizations been investigated, as warned by the EU? Questions for Tomislav Nikolic: How did you finance your election campaign and who paid the visit of the very expensive lobbyist Rudolph Giuliani from New York? How did you pass your exams while you were busy launching your own political party and organizing public events? Have you regretted your public statements about Zoran Djindjic and Slavko Curuvija?
(Blic, 13.06.2012)

Participants of the Annual Assembly of the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) have refused the offer made by the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) to merge the two associations and divide the ownership over the Journalists' Building in Belgrade differently from the verdict made by the Court of Appeals. The participants of the Annual Assembly have confirmed the decision of the Electoral Assembly of 2010 to reject the merging of NUNS with UNS. The team of legal representatives of NUNS continues to work on implementation of the legally binding verdict of the Court of Appeals.
(Danas, Kurir, Politika, Blic, Alo!, UNS, 18.06.2012)

Pedja Obradovic, a journalist and editor with RTV B92, said during the presentation of the project "Better Transparency in Local Self-Governments: Citizens' Rights and Obligations of the State" that did not believe that there was a genuine need or interest of local self-governments to improve their relations with the local media. "Some of the media are financed from local budgets, and therefore subordinated to and practically dependent on the local self-governments. The media which are not financed from local budgets are not interesting to local self-governments and are perceived by them as enemies; their financial position is difficult and the decrease in their professional standards and influence has been evident. Local self-governments view the communication with the public only in terms of marketing, while local public service broadcasters, i.e. the media that should act in that way, are being used as a platform to promote the ruling 'political elite'", said Obradovic.
(Danas – special supplement, NUNS, 19.06.2012)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) says that the social, economic, and professional position of the media and media professionals has additionally worsened during the last year. At the presentation of the report on activities of the Association, the president of NUNS, Vukasin Obradovic, emphasized that in 2011 and the first half of 2012 drastic restrictions in the media industry had continued.
(NUNS, Politika, Alo!, 17.06.2012)

The picture of Serbia in 2012 after the recent elections is characterized by ruined institutions, impoverished citizens, underestimated media and arrogant politicians who take offense to questions they do not like and who have their "favored" journalists, while at the same time they act rudely and disrespectfully towards "other" journalists, says an article published in the daily newspaper Blic, adding that intellectuals have been accused of causing political defeat, while the media has been condemned for their critical reporting. The president of the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS), Vukasin Obradovic, gave yesterday to Blic a comment on the former president's statement, who said that Blic was "breaking his legs" during the last four years. "If anyone has been breaking someone's legs in the last four years, that was certainly the government, whose arrogance and sense of impunity has actually broken the spine of most of the media outlets in Serbia. This kind of attitude towards the public has eventually resulted in unintended consequences against some individuals but, evidently, lessons have not been taken and the old practice is being continued, exemplified in the principle: 'everything that is opposed to our (virtual) reality is opposed to us'", said Obradovic.
(Blic, 14.06.2012)

The state and the media

The editor-in-chief of TV B92, Veran Matic, is supposed to be elected today as a new member of the Managing Board of the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia (PKS), reports the daily newspaper Informer. According to the newspaper's sources, Matic was first seen as the vice president of the Managing Board, but the idea has been dropped after negative reaction from some of the domestic businessmen. Milan Knezevic, a businessman, says: "I am at a loss to explain what kind of a business success has been achieved by Veran Matic that would make him eligible for membership in the Managing Board. He should be a member of a journalistic association, not the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia. On the other hand, I understand the position of PKS, since it has only a representative and nominal role – perhaps they wish to improve their presence in the media".
(Informer, 14.06.2012)

Public service broadcasters

The Republic Broadcasting Agency has published a public invitation for nomination of candidates for membership in the Programme Board of the Public service Broadcaster of Vojvodina.
(RRA, 20.06.2012)

Threats, attacks and legal proceedings against journalists; media-related trials

The president of the Republic of Srpska, Milorad Dodik, accused yesterday the correspondent of the news agency Beta from Banjaluka, Ljiljana Kovacevic, of belonging to an organized group that abuses the journalistic profession, intending to "destroy" him and "criminalize" the president of the RS and his associates, reports Beta. Dodik's new accusations against the Beta correspondent followed his strong verbal attack on Ljiljana Kovacevic on Saturday, June 2, when he tried to remove her from the press conference in the presidential building, claiming that she was reporting false information.
(Politika, Dnevnik, 08.06.2012)

News agency Beta rejects the accusations made against Beta and its correspondent from Banjaluka, Ljiljana Kovacevic, by the Public Relations Office of the President of the Republic of Srpska, Milorad Dodik, and considers them an unacceptable attack against the freedom of information. Beta is shocked with the wording and gravity of untrue charges made by Dodik's Public Relations Office and again demands that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia protect it from the unfounded attacks coming from the president of the Republic of Srpska and his administration.
(Beta, Politika, 09.06.2012)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) strongly protests the cutting off of electrical power to the editorial office of E-Novine and considers this act committed by the Electrical Power Company of Serbia unacceptable. "E-Novine operates in a very difficult economic conditions, just like most of the media outlets in Serbia", says NUNS.
(Beta, Politika, 20.06.2012)

The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) condemns the cutting off of the editorial office of E-Novinefrom the power grid. UNS is concerned with the possible disappearance of one of the rare differing voices in an already impoverished and insufficiently diversified media scene of Serbia. UNS calls on its colleagues and the public to express their solidarity with and offer their assistance to E-Novine. UNS calls on the Electrical Power Company of Serbia to allow the owner of the web portal to pay the debt in installments, which would allow it to continue its operations.
(UNS, 19.06.2012)

The Journalists' Union of Serbia (SNS) protested today against the cutting off of electrical power to the editorial office of E-Novine and pointed out that such act constitutes a form of pressure on the media.
(NUNS, 20.06.2012)

Predrag Danilovic is unrivaled in the basketball scene with regard to his arrogant behavior, reports the daily newspaper Blic. Publication of one of well-guarded secrets of the Basketball Club "Partizan" by Blic was followed by threats and insults against the newspaper's journalist who wrote the article. A well-known businessman, Milija Babovic, also insulted a journalist of the daily newspaper Informer for reporting on him as the power behind the scenes in the Football Club "Partizan".
(Beta, 18.06.2012 Informer, 19.06.2012, Blic, UNS, 20.06.2012)

The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) condemns the latest threats made against the sports journalists of daily newspapers Blic and Informer by Predrag Danilovic, Milija Babovic, and Vladimir Jovanovic. UNS warns sport officials that it is illegal to prevent journalists from doing their work or to exert pressure on them, and that threats against journalists are punishable by 1-8 years of imprisonment. UNS demands that the authorities act in accordance with law.
(UNS, Alo!, 18.06.2012, Vecernje Novosti, Blic, 19.06.2012)

Milos Radisavljevic Kimi, the leader of "Alcatraz", a group of fans of the football club "Partizan", who was sentenced to spend 16 months in prison because of endangering the security of the journalist of TV B92, Brankica Stankovic, demands that he be sent to the prison "Padinska Skela". Kimi's legal representative, Ilija Drazic, announced his intention to appeal to the higher court immediately after receiving the verdict. "This has not been the first time that TV B92 has written criminal charges and passed verdicts. If B92 points their finger at you, forget about your right to defend yourself from charges. On the other hand, Brankica Stankovic has not been convicted of anything, despite the fact that several criminal charges have been filed against her for revealing of official secrets and commenting on non-legally enforceable verdicts", said the lawyer.
(Informer, 14.06.2012 i 15.06.2012, Press, Kurir, Vecernje Novosti, 14.06.2012)

A former editor of the newspaper Dnevnik was represented during the legal process before the Court of Appeals in Novi Sad by the free legal team from the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS). The Court of Appeals has confirmed the first-instance verdict passed by the Primary Court rejecting a civil lawsuit for libel filed against Petar Petrovic, a former editor-in-chief of the daily newspaper Dnevnik.
(NUNS, 14.06.2012)

After publication of an article entitled "European Average or a Bad Solution" in the daily newspaper Danas, which examined the irregularities and abuses in the department of hemodialysis of the Health Center "Studenica" in Kraljevo, the former director of the Health Center has filed criminal charges against a journalist with the daily newspaper Danas, accusing him of spreading false information. Ten days ago, the journalist made an official statement in the Police Administration of Kraljevo.
(Danas, 12.06.2012)

The leader of the United Regions of Serbia (URS), Mladjan Dinkic, sent and SMS to the director of the daily newspaper Kurir telling him that he would suffer the same fate as his father, who had spent two years in prison, reports Kurir.
(Kurir, 09.06.2012 i 10.06.2012)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) considers that yesterday's reaction of the president of the United Regions of Serbia (URS), Mladjan Dinkic, to an article published in the daily newspaper Kurir, constituted "inappropriate behavior and pressure on the media". In its press statement, NUNS reminds that "domestic and international standards demand that state officials inform the public about all aspects of expenditure of money from the national budget".
(Fonet, Beta, NUNS, 08.06.2012, Politika, 09.06.2012)

The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) warns Mladjan Dinkic that the struggle for freedom of the media in Serbia is incompatible with behind-the-scenes threats similar to his SMS message sent to the publisher of the daily newspaper Kurir, Aleksandar Rodic. The SMS said that Rodic was going to "suffer the same fate as his father" and that Dinkic intended to fight against him "to the end" and "for truth". UNS reminds Mladjan Dinkic that, so far, his manner of fighting against Kurir three years ago has resulted in the adoption of the draconian and unconstitutional media law which has inflicted enormous damage on the freedom of the press in Serbia.
(UNS, Beta, Politika, Vecernje Novosti, 09.06.2012)

In a letter sent to the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS), the political party United Regions of Serbia (URS) says that the daily newspaper Kurir violated their right to publication of a response. NUNS reminds that interpretation of the Law on Public Information is in the hands of courts, but considers that Kurir is obliged to adhere to legal and professional standards which specify the right to publication of a response or correction.
(NUNS, 14.06.2012)

Investigations of murders of journalists

In the city of Jagodina, a memorial event was held to mark 11 years since the murder of the journalist with the daily newspaper Vecernje Novosti, Milan Pantic. Participants of the event said that Serbia would not be a democratic country until the murderers of journalists were identified. Representatives of the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) and the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) repeated their demand that the authorities identify and punish the murderers and organizers of the murders of Milan Pantic, Slavko Curuvija and Dada Vujasinovic, otherwise "Serbia will remain a country where journalists are murdered with impunity".
(Beta, Tanjug, Politika, Danas, Alo!, Pregled, Vecernje Novosti, Dnevnik, Press, Blic, UNS, NUNS, Informer, 12.06.2012)

Due to the belief of the public that the truth about the murders of journalists Slavko Curuvija, Dada Vujasinovic and Milan Pantic, as well as the attempt at life of Dejan Anastasijevic, is being covered up, the president of the B92 Foundation, Veran Matic, has launched an initiative with the Human Rights Commissioner of the Council of Europe to involve international investigators with the investigation. He says that such a step would create conditions for unbiased investigation of all circumstances under which the journalists were killed, and that it would also establish whether there has been any sabotaging of the investigation.
(Press, 18.06.2012)

The minority media

Associations of Hungarian journalists outside the borders of Hungary support preparation of an integrated media strategy. Their statement announced that the preparation of such a strategic document would begin immediately and that the first step would be to create Hungarian Media Collection of the Carpathian Basin, which would also serve as a basis for an integrated Hungarian media catalog. The integrated media strategy is necessary to ensure closer mutual ties between different parts of the Hungarian nations, increased national self-awareness, preservation of the native language and culture, and prevention of disputes within the Hungarian national body. It is also emphasized that such a media strategy, which would systematically cover the existing media, would "ensure better, more truthful, vital, economical and efficient media network intended for the members of the Hungarian nation elsewhere around the world".
(Magyar Szo, NDNV, 18.06.2012)