Professional standards

A book entitled "The Great Names of Serbian Journalism", written by Dimitrije Boarov and Vladimir Barovic, was a subject of the promotion held in Novi Sad. The book covers 16 late renowned Serbian journalists. The authors said that it had been very difficult to make a selection among so many journalists. Journalist Mihal Ramac was of the opinion that journalists were mostly prone to "becoming bad". "However there are journalists who have a timeless value, who do not have a price. Such journalists are the subject of this book", said Ramac.
(NDNV, 02.03.2012, Dnevnik, 03.03.2012)

Gay-Lesbian Info Center has submitted a complaint to the Press Council against the daily newspaper Press because of an article that made a connection between same-sex marriage, violence and pedophilia, published on 2 March 2012. Another complaint against Press has been filed by the National Bank of Serbia because of several articles described as "malicious and biased".
(Dnevnik, UNS, 06.03.2012)

A Twitter post published by a TV host with TV Pink, Ognjen Amidzic, insulted the Roma population in Serbia, reports the daily newspaper Kurir. Dragoljub Ackovic, the deputy president of the International Parliament of the Roma and the president of the Museum of Roma Culture, has strongly condemned Amidzic's sense of humor, describing it as a provocation. "I believe that such people do not belong in the media and that it is about time for his editors to punish such behavior", said Ackovic in an emotional response.
(Kurir, 06.03.2012)

At a session held today, the Council of the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA) adopted a mandatory instruction on conduct of the electronic media during the election campaign. According to the instruction, candidates i.e. individuals participating in elections are allowed to purchase no more than five minutes of airtime per day. The general mandatory instruction will be published in the Official Gazette.
(RRA, 07.03.2012)

The Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA) has adopted mandatory instruction according to which TV stations are allowed to sell airtime to political parties in the amount of up to 90 minutes a day. Broadcasters will be allowed to sell no more than five minutes per day to a single election list or a candidate, while previously this time was unlimited. The general mandatory instruction has a character of a law and violations will be sanctioned by the Law on Broadcasting instead of the Law on Advertising. "This time we will hold sessions each day during the election campaign and at the end of the day punish every broadcaster who violates these provisions. We will not wait until after the elections", promises Goran Karadzic, the deputy president of the Council of RRA.
(Blic, NUNS, Večernje Novosti, 08.03.2012, Danas, Dnevnik, Politika, 09.03.2012, Blic, Kurir, Press, Dnevnik, Politika, 10.03.2012)

A member of the Council of the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA), Goran Pekovic, explains that commercial broadcasters in Serbia are not obliged to air time slots paid by political parties during the election campaign, but if they decide to do so they will have to abide by the general mandatory instruction issued by the RRA. The instruction is aimed at all broadcasters, including cable broadcasters, and it is related to campaigns for local, provincial, parliamentary, and presidential elections, including the elections for councils of national minorities. "Public service broadcasters are required to air for free the election content prepared by electoral lists. The scheduling of time slots paid by election lists is done according to the principle of random selection."
(Danas, UNS, 14.03.2012)

In Serbia, political and procedural topics still dominate the media reports on EU – said the head of the EU delegation in Belgrade, Vincent Deger, during the presentation of the research entitled "The EU as Viewed by Domestic Media". He pointed out that citizens of Serbia were interested in specific benefits from the membership. The research showed that in 2011 the media published much more content related to the EU, but with a larger percentage of neutral than positive reports about the EU.
(Vecernje Novosti, UNS, 09.03.2012, Dnevnik, 11.03.2012)

The Journalists' Association of the City of Nis has called on journalists to report any form of pressure they face in the course of their work. "The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has authorized the Journalists' Association of Nis to collect and deliver information about all cases of violation of the freedom of information." A statement dedicated to the forthcoming election campaign warns the media from Nis to "strictly adhere to provisions of the Law on Information and instructions issued by the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA) while reporting on activities of political parties".
(Danas, 10.03.2012)

During the last week, TV Avala announced a new episode of the series "Pictures of Life" authored by Dejan Radulovic. We published this information, unaware (just like the programme's author) that the series would be taken off-air on the same day.
(Vecernje Novosti, 11.03.2012)

Political analyst Branko Radun says that Serbia lacks debate and demands that the Public Service Broadcaster be opened for TV duels between politicians. "Politicians should be confronted, and people will choose those who seem more convincing. The ruling coalition now acts indirectly via the media, but it would be a good idea to have leaders of political parties appearing on TV and saying something new. We would have a clearer picture about politicians. It would be difficult for them to refuse invitation from the Public Service Broadcaster" – says Radun.
(Politika, 12.03.2012)

After one month, but only a day after publication of an article in the daily newspaper Press, officials in the Ministry of Health have finally replied to letters and calls from patients suffering from multiple sclerosis. They demand that the successful therapeutic method of curing the disease by widening of veins be reintroduced in the city of Nis.
(Press, 13.03.2012)

Estimates, awards, courses and competitions

The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) has launched the School of Video Journalism, which offers a unique program of practical and theoretical training in independent production of TV and video programmes. Additional information is available from the phone number 011/32 36 337 or email address: skole@uns.rs
(UNS, 05.03.2012)

Juzne Vesti has organized a contest for a seminar about reporting on the election campaign and financing of political activities that is intended for journalists from Southern Serbia. The two three-day seminars will offer attendees an opportunity to acquire new knowledge about current legal regulations related to, among other things, the election campaign and possible abuses.
(Juzne vesti, 05.03.2012)

At the yesterday's conference organized by the Central European Development Forum (CEDEF) to mark the Energy Efficiency Day, awards were presented for the best media report on "Insulation in Civil Engineering and Energy Efficiency". The first prize was given to RTS journalist Slavica Gligorovic for her report entitled "Beautiful Homes of Serbia", the second prize went to journalist with TV Lav from Uzice, Biljana Kuzmanovic, while the third prize was given to RTV journalist Marko Jakovljev.
(Pregled, 06.03.2012)

Journalists' Association of Vojvodia (DNV), an organizational form of the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS), has selected the recipients of journalistic awards for the year 2011. The Lifetime Achievement Award "Svetozar Miletic" went to journalist with Nedeljne Novine from Backa Palanka, Pera Dosen. Journalist with newspaper Vecernje Novosti from Backa Palanka, Slobodan Miric, is the recipient of the "Jasa Tomic" Award. Special Award "Dimitrije Frusic" was given to Radio Novi Sad journalist Ljubenko Zvizdic. Journalist with the newspaper Poljoprivrednik, Kosta Rajevic, is the recipient of the Award "Dr Petar Drezgic", while the Special Charter "Dimitrije Frusic" was given to ARS Akademija journalist Zeljko Savic.
(Dnevnik, UNS, 09.03.2012, Politika, 10.03.2012)

"The Journalists' Association of Vojvodina (DNV) has not given any awards to Pera Dosen, Slobodan Miric, Ljubenko Zvizdic and Kosta Rajevic, and certainly not any of its traditional awards", says the statement issued by the organization. The organization points out that the awards were given by an unrecognized an unregistered association, which is a branch of the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) with an office in Novi Sad. "UNS-NDV has also violated the Law on Registration – which unambiguously forbids usage of identical names for two different legal entities, as well as usage of similar names that could result in confusion", says DNV.
(Dnevnik, 13.03.2012)

A public debate will be organized on March 15 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the students' magazine Student. The magazine is published by the Association of Belgrade Students and is owned by the University of Belgrade. The first issue was published on 15 March 1937. The founder of the newspaper was Ivo Lola Ribar, while its first editor was Bogdan Pesic. Generations of renowned journalists, writers and politicians used to work in the editorial office of Student.
(UNS, 08.03.2012)

The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) invites everyone to participate in the video contest "The Facebook Generation". The author of the most creative video will receive a scholarship for the first domestic school of video journalism.
(UNS, 09.03.2012)

Annual awards of the Association of Hungarian Journalists were presented in Novi Sad yesterday. The print media award was given to the 65 year-old editorial office of the children's newspaper Jo Pajtas, while the electronic media award went to Andrea Husnjak from RTV Panon and Djula Mirnic from RTV. Journalistic award for diaspora was given to Imre Martinek. A retired editor and host of RTV, Nandor Karta, received the lifetime achievement award.
(NDNV, 10.03.2012)

The media audience

The website of the company "Novosti" has achieved best progress during the last year among the web content accessed by Serbian readers on the Internet, says the Asmedi organization. The home page of "Novosti" holds the seventh position on the list of most-visited websites, while its position in the category of news content is in the very top of the list, with a constant upward tendency. The January data was published by Gemius, which is a leading company in the field of web audience research. The research shows that more than 66 percent of Internet users in Serbia access the Web every day.
(ASMEDI NEWSLETTER, March 2012)

After the publication of annual averages of sold circulation of magazines in the January issue of the weekly magazine Hello, ABC Serbia says that, in accordance with the company rules and procedures, the data has not been distributed by ABC Serbia and that ABC Serbia has not participated in the campaign. However, the published data does not differ from the information that is available on the website www.abcsrbija.com.
(ABC Newsletter, 06.03.2012)

Due to a transmitter malfunction, the programme of TV Smederevo was not available to most of the viewers in the city for two days. The programme was available only to IPTV users.
(Vecernje Novosti – Serbia, 06.03.2012)

In 2011, the radio audience could be described by the following numbers:

• Each listener in Serbia listens 200 minutes of radio programmes a day
• 400,000 listeners listen to radio programme during each day
• 3,000,000 (46% of population) people listen to radio for at least a minute each day

Source: Ipsos
(RAB Serbia Newsletter, 07.03.2012)

Measurement of TV programme ratings in February and the first week of March show that the night programme of TV Timocka was viewed by one fifth of Serbian viewers on average, reports the daily newspaper Kurir. The decision of the management team of TV Timocka to broadcast four films every night as a part of its nighttime programme has turned out to be highly successful.
(Kurir, NUNS, 08.03.2012)

Similarly to political parties, regional and local radio stations in Zrenjanin have also began fighting each other using results of various research proving each of them to be the best-rated station in the city of Zrenjanin. Klik-FM, a relatively new station in the city on Begej, which began airing its programme last year, declared itself to be the most-listened radio in the city in a half-page ad published in the last issue of the weekly magazine Zrenjanin. Results of the research conducted between October 10 and December 29 of the last year by Ipsos Strategic Marketing show Klik FM holding the first position, followed by AS FM and Santos from Zrenjanin. According to the research, the regional Radio Zrenjanin, which functions as a public company and is financed from the city budget, has a negligible number of listeners. However, the radio station Santos from Zrenjanin, citing the results of the same research, claims itself to be the best-rated local radio station in the city. In their response to the ad published by Radio Klik FM, Santos claims that the same results were received by Radio Zrenjanin from the A-Media agency. The other side points out that their station has a share of 5.5, which is better than Santos, but lower than the results achieved by the national station Radio S, Radio Klik FM and Radio AS FM.
(Dnevnik, 13.03.2012)

Media transfers

Marijana Micic is a new personality hired by TV B92. Beginning on March 19, the actress, who has earned fame as a host of the Big Brother show and a participant in "The Simple Life" programme, will host "The Daily Magazine" show and the "Night TV Project" – which are two new shows produced by the production company Emotion. B92 has decided to actively fight for their own share of the media market and has prepared numerous TV projects that will begin airing in the next week, reports daily newspaper Press.
(Press, 13.03.2012)

Anniversaries

Radio Resava, which holds the third position among private radio stations in Serbia, celebrates two decades of existence. Two years after the founding of the station, the owners of the local media outlet, which covers the best part of the Central Serbia, established TV Svitel, whose signal reaches Pomoravlje as well as parts of Sumadija and Branicevo.
(Vecernje Novosti - Serbia, 13.03.2012)

The World Day Against Cyber Censorship, established by Reporters Without Borders in 2008, is being celebrated. Milos Rancic from Serbian Wikipedia says that censorship on the Internet exists, but cannot be total. "The situation in our country is still better than in France, Australia and the USA, and I am personally satisfied with that", says Rancic.
(B92, NUNS, 12.03.2012)

In memoriam

A long-time journalist with the Channel 1 of Radio Belgrade, Miladin Manojlovic, passed away in Belgrade at the age of 65. He began working in the field of journalism in 1969, first as an announcer in Radio Osijek, and later as an announcer, journalist and editor of the music programme on Radio Beli Manastir. He worked as a contributor for newspapers Belje and Baranjske Novine. Between 1974 and his retirement, he held a position in the news and political section of the Channel 1 of Radio Belgrade.
(UNS, 14.03.2012)