Myths about the EU most often result from insufficient knowledge, disinterest or the lack of media's willingness to dedicate resources to this issue. The media usually publish official reports about the European Union, while most of the citizens rely on the media to receive information related to Serbian membership in the EU. The research of public opinion, conducted by the Office of European Integrations in December last year, shows that 52 percent of citizens think that they are not sufficiently informed about the EU, while only 19 percent of them believe that they are. Recently, a workshop was held in Novi Sad on the topic of myths and facts related to the EU, organized by the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) and the Independent Journalists' Association of Vojvodina (NDNV). It is planned to hold seven workshops in total, in Novi Pazar, Kragujevac, Novi Sad, Vranje, Bor and Belgrade (two workshops).
Source: Danas, 09/04/2011

"Prva Srpska TV" began overtaking TV Pink, judging by their ratings. The speed at which this has happened is astonishing. RTS is still at the top position in lists of daily ratings. Pink's position at the second place has been seriously threatened by an avalanche of new shows aired by former Fox TV, that has been transformed into a TV station with a pretentious title of Prva Srpska TV (First Serbian TV)."
Source: Blic, 10/04/2011

At the exhibition "Press Photo Serbia", the first prize for the best photography in the media in 2011 was awarded to the photograph "Pride Parade" made by Marko Djokovic, photojournalist of the daily newspaper "Press". 1,200 media photographs and photo series participated in the contest in nine different categories.
Source: Pravda, Politika, Press, Blic 09/04/2011

Secretary general of the National Parliament of Serbia, Veljko Odalovic, talked to all six TV stations with national licenses in the attempt to find a solution for live broadcasting of parliamentary sessions. After no one applied to the tender that ended on March 14, Odalovic sent a letter notifying the stations that direct offers could be delivered until April 5.
Source: Politika, 02/04/2011

Secretary general of the National Parliament, Veljko Odalovic, said to "Novosti" that direct offers for broadcasting of parliamentary sessions were submitted by two TV stations – RTS and B92 – and that the final decision would be made by a committee in few days.
Source: Vecernje Novosti, 09/04/2011, 12/04/2011

Media visits

A group of 35 journalists working as foreign correspondents from Belgrade (ANSA, France-Presse, ARD, Free Europe, Bulgarian Radio, Anatolia agency...) spent 3 days in the south of Serbia – in Vranje, Presevo and Bujanovac. The visit was organized by Media Centers from Belgrade and Vranje with support from the Fund for an Open Society.
A thousand kilometers, three cities, 14 meetings, 50 individuals in three days. The aim was to get acquainted with the Pcinjski County through communication with representatives of local self-governments, non-governmental organizations, religious communities and the police and army units in Vranje.
Source: Pravda, 01/04/2011, Blic, 04/04/2011

Franc But, Ambassador of Slovenia in Serbia, visited the editorial office of Danas yesterday. Discussion with the editors and journalists of the newspaper covered issues like the media scene in Serbia, country's progress on the road toward EU, and the possibilities for improvement of cooperation between two countries.
Source: Danas, UNS, 06/04/2011

General director of the Public Company Srbijagas, Dusan Bajatovic, with his associates, was a guest of the directors and editors-in-chief of media companies that are members of the Media Association. Special attention was given to improvement of cooperation in the media sphere with media companies that are part of the Media Association, as well as cooperation in the area of marketing.
Source: ASMEDI Newsletter, 04/04/2011

A group of students of the Faculty of Media and Communications within the University of Belgrade has visited the Republic Broadcasting Agency on April 6. The students were informed about the structure of the agency and the functioning of the monitoring and analysis department.
Source: RRA, 07/04/2011

Awards and competitions

Expert jury of the "Novosti" company has announced that the best architectural work in Serbia in the last year is the residential building located at 53, Novopazarska Street, designed by architects Vanja Miletic and Irena Videnov. The most successful student project is the "Alternative Model of New Belgrade Block 23" by Milos Paunovic.
Source: ASMEDI Newsletter, 04/04/2011

The independent international jury of the program "Balkan Scholarship for Journalistic Excellence" has awarded scholarships to Dejan Anastasijevi, journalist of Vreme magazine, and Stevan Dojcinovic, journalist of the NUNS Center for Investigative Journalism. The jury has selected ten scholarship holders on the basis of proposed investigative stories related to the issue of judiciary. Selected journalists will receive scholarships worth 2,000 euros, as well as 2,000 euros intended for costs of research.
Source: ASMEDI Newsletter, 04/04/2011

Adria Media Serbia has announced that the photo-essay on the life in a circus published in the April issue of the National Geographic (NG) Serbia was selected as the best local report. It was authored by Marko Risovic, regular contributor to NG Serbia magazine. The world-famous National Geographic magazine has been published in Serbian language since November 2006.
Source: ASMEDI Newsletter, 04/04/2011

Beta news agency has announced the eighth competition for "Beta Photograph of the Year". Professional photojournalists from Southeast Europe have been invited to participate in the competition. Works will be accepted until April 21. Application forms and rules of the contest are available at the web site of Beta news agency: www.beta.co.rs/fotokonkurs
Source: Beta, ASMEDI Newsletter, 04/04/2011

Anniversaries

Radio Leskovac has been broadcasting a 24 hours a day programme (with 12 hours of own programme) from the home of Vlajcic family since 1961. The house was constructed during the '20s of the previous century and has been under protection of the state since 1989. Radio Leskovac is the only station in the Jablanicki County and has a special show aired in Roma language "Romano krlo" ("Voice of the Roma").
Source: Juzne vesti, 06/04/2011

Studio B will celebrate its 41 birthday today together with its listeners and viewers.
Source: Danas, NUNS, UNS, 01/04/2011

The President of Serbia, Boris Tadic, has congratulated on March 25 the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) on their 17^th anniversary. He asked NUNS to continue to insist on truthful, objective and highly professional standards in journalism.
Source: NUNS Newsletter, 01/04/2011

In memoriam

Long-time journalist and correspondent of B92 from Sweden, Manuela Person, has died at the age of 47 in Stockholm after a long and difficult illness.
Source: Fonet, B92, 07/04/2011; Danas, NUNS, 08/04/2011

Miroslav Kacarevic, journalist and editor of Radio Kraljevo and "Ibarske Novosti", has died in Kraljevo on April 8 after a difficult illness. Kacarevic was the editor of the culture section of the "Ibarske Novosti" newspaper, a correspondent of Radio Belgrade from Kraljevo, and the editor of the exchange program of Associated Radio Stations of Serbia. He has won numerous awards for radio shows in the field of culture.
Source: UNS, 09.04.2011,Politika, 10/04/2011

Various

The portrait of Dusan Mijic, that you have published on April 7 under the title "The Controversial Heir", contains some ridiculous claims. I will emphasize only two of them: that Nasa Borba was closed down in 1998 because of a conflict between the owner, Dusan Mijic, and the editorial office, and that "Mijic's true intention was to suppress free journalism and curry favour with the regime of Slobodan Milosevic". In fact, why not say it openly – the claim that Mijic's true intention was "to suppress free journalism and curry favour with the regime of Slobodan Milosevic" is more than nonsense. You should try to find out true information on what actually happened ten years ago, because the story about Nasa Borba deserves to be told. Author: Dimitrije Boarov.
Source: Danas, 13/04/2011

After the Greek billionaire, Minos Kyriakou, has become the majority owner of TV B92, many changes are planned, perhaps even the change of name as of mid-April. Changes in personnel are also expected.
Source: Alo!, UNS, 05/04/2011

Abbreviations