Profesional standards

Dusko Bogdanovic says in a newspaper article: “I am still puzzled by the editorial concept of TV B92. I can't recognize their intentions. On the one hand, 'The Insider' is a show that can serve as an ideal and a benchmark for all journalists. On the other hand, every afternoon on workdays, the same channel broadcasts some kind of an entertainment mishmash – one of the worst TV offerings since the beginning of television in this part of the world. I don't know whether the editors even bother to watch this combination of lowest common denominator, lack of ideas, illiteracy and ignorance, which can barely be tolerated. Unbelievable!”
(Danas, 15.10.2012)

In the opinion of many women of various ages, education levels and nationalities, the image of women in the media is not satisfactory since it is usualy stereotypical, even humiliating, reports the daily newspaper Politika.
(Politika, NUNS, 15.10.2012)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) has publicly criticized the web portal Timocke Vesti for publishing a news story under the title “Two Roma Beat and Rob a Young Man in Zajecar” which violated professional and ethical standards. Journalists and the media have to be aware that there are criminals of all nationalities and that the nature of such crimes is mostly completely independent from the ethnicity of perpetrators, says NUNS.
(NUNS,16.10.2012)

At the international conference “The Media and Equality”, held yesterday in Belgrade, the head of the EU delegation in Serbia, Vincent Deger, pointed out that the progress achieved by Serbia in her fight against discrimination had been praised by the European Commission in its latest report, but that it was noted that the hate speech was still evident, especially during football matches.
(Danas, Dnevnik, 20.10.2012)

During the international conference “The Media and Equality”, participants discussed the individual cases of discrimination in the media. An editorial published in the daily newspaper Politika under the title “Only the Thieves Are Diligent” caused differing opinions in the Press Council of the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS). “This case has been the most controversial case adjudicated by the Press Council”, said Ljiljana Smajlovic, but the journalist was not found 'guilty' of violating the journalistic code of ethics. In the editorial, the journalist told his opinion, without any intention to incite hatred, and pointed out that the problems of the Roma should be solved in a systemic manner; however, at the same time, he noted that no one can be abolished of criminal responsibility for being a Roma or impoverished, said the participants of the conference.
(Politika, 20.10.2012)

Opinions, awards, training courses and competitions

The Association of Journalists of Serbia and Montenegro (SNSCG) has announced its traditional annual public contest for journalistic lifetime achievement award, says the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS). The deadline for applications is 25 October.
(Politika, 12.10.2012)

Bata Ilic, a correspondent of daily Press from Leskovac, is the recipient of the Leskovac October Award for investigative journalism and humanitarian work.
(Press, 12.10.2012)

The highest award of the international journalistic festival Interfer, the Grand Prix, was given to Goran Tomasevic, a Reuters reporter, for his photographs from Syria. The lifetime achievement award was delivered to Manojlo Manjo Vukotic, the editor-in-chief of the daily newspaper Vecernje Novosti, while the annual award for TV reports was given to Jasmina Nikitovic Stojcic for her programme “Znanje Imanje”. Bojana Rankovic is the recipient of the golden “Nika” award for the best TV story, while Mihajlo Medenica won the same award for the best press report for his story about Auschwitz. TV B92 received an award for the campaign “Save the Babies”. Blic journalist Boris Vukovic was awarded for his story “The Road to Hell”.
(Blic, Dnevnik, UNS, Kurir, NUNS, Večernje novosti, 15.10.2012, Dnevnik – special supplement, 20.10.2012)

The photograph “East of Heaven” by Marko Risovic was selected as the best photograph at this year's national competition for the best media photo “Press Photo Serbia 2012” organized by the Center for Development of Photograph. More than 1,500 photographs were submitted.
(Politika, 16.10.2012)

The jury of the “Dusan Bogavac” Award for ethics and courage in journalism selected the caricaturist Marko Somborac as the recipient of the award. For years, Marko Somborac has been using his talent and skills to depict today's Serbian society, plagued with corruption, controlled media, tycoons' interests, and underdeveloped democratic institutions, explained the jury.
(NUNS, UNS, NDNV, 17.10.2012, Beta, Politika, Alo!, Blic, Press, 18.10.2012)

Caricaturist Marko Somborac of the daily newspaper Blic received today the 22nd “Dusan Bogavac“ Award for Ethics and Courage.
(Blic, NUNS, 24.10.2012)

The UNICEF office in Serbia has announced a public contest for the annual award for ethical and professional media reporting on violence against and among children, with an emphasis on the violence in schools. The deadline for applications is 5 November 2012, while the awards will be delivered on 20 November 2012.
(MC, 22.10.2012)

The fifth “Magic Breakfast” has begun. It is a humanitarian project aimed at collecting foodstuffs for meals in 32 schools for children with special needs. During a ceremony held in the Old Castle, thank-you notes were given to companies and media outlets that supported the project, among them Politika and Press.
(Politika, Press, 20.10.2012)

Rajko Karisic, an art photographer, journalist and a member of the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS), is the recipient of this year's October Award of the City of Vrbas.
(UNS, 23.10.2012)

“Regional Coverage – Cross-Border Cooperation Between the Media” is the subject of this year's Press Media Summit that will take place on 31 October in the Hotel Metropol in Belgrade. Another one of the items on the agenda is “Tabloids – Similarities and Differences in the Press Publishing” and where is the limit of the journalistic code of conduct in tabloids.
(Vecernje novosti, 13.10.2012)

Media visits

The recently appointed Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Serbia, Heinz Wilhelm, and his associates visited the Media Association and discussed the economic position of the media, expectations from the Media Strategy, the need for adoption of adequate media laws that would ensure systemic solutions in the media scene, as well as the German experience with regard to relations between the government, politicians and the media.
(Dnevnik, Politika, UNS, Press, Vecernje novosti, 12.10.2012)

The minister of culture and information of Serbia, Bratislav Petkovic, visited the Media Association and talked to directors and editors-in-chief of leading media outlets in Serbia about the Media Strategy and its partial redefition.
(Blic, Dnevnik, Politika, UNS, Press, Vecernje novosti, NUNS, 18.10.2012)

Media transfers

Deputies in the Municipal Assembly of Stara Pazova have removed from position Milos Lazic and appointed Jovica Gagric as the new acting director of Radio-Television Stara Pazova, reports the daily Novosti.
(Vecernje novosti – Vojvodina, 18.10.2012)

Anniversaries

Peca Popovic says: “Exactly 50 years ago, Miroslav Antic founded the first Yugoslavian magazine for the other kind of music, Ritam. By launching this magazine, Mr. Antic, one of the noblest poets and publicists, initiated a profession that had not existed before him. Thanks to this, magazines Dzuboks, Gong, Pop Ekspres and Susret also appeared. The magazine Ritam was dedicated to jazz and popular music. The first issue was published on 1 October 1962 and the last issue came out in August 1965. In total, 69 issues were published.
(Blic, 16.10.2012)

Manojlo Vukotic, the editor-in-chief of the daily Novosti says in an article published by the newspaper: “In the chaotic media scene of Serbia, Vecernje Novosti has remained the steadfast defender of journalism. Today, on our 59 birthday, we are proud to say: Vecernje Novosti is the daily newspaper with the largest circulation and number of sold copies in Serbia!”
(Vecernje novosti, UNS, NUNS, 16.10.2012)

The daily newspaper Alo! celebrates five years of its existence as the daily newspaper with the largest circulation in Serbia. The celebration was held on Wednesday in the cafe “Santo Domingo”, attended by numerous friends and public personalities.
(Alo!, UNS, NUNS, 19.10.2012)

Last Friday, regional station Radio Pozarevac celebrated 35 years of uninterrupted programme broadcasting and 63 years since the launch of the first radio station in Pozarevac. The station now airs 24 hours of programme a day and has a regional broadcasting frequency which covers the districts of Branicevo and Podunavlje and a part of the district of Juzni Banat.
(Danas – Branicevo, UNS, NUNS, 19.10.2012)

In Memoriam

A longtime correspondent of Politika from Sabac, Jovan Joca Radosavljevic, passed away yesterday at the age of 80. He began his journalistic career in 1957 in the news section of RTV Zajaca. He joined the newspaper Glas Podrinja in 1960. Between 1978 and his retirement he was the correspondent of Politika from Sabac and Podrinje. He was a member of the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS).
(UNS, 15.10.2012, Politika,16.10.2012)

After a several years-long illness, a journalist with RT Vojvodina and a longtime correspondent of Kurir, Velimir Kostadinov, passed away in Subotica yesterday.
(Vecernje novosti – Vojvodina, Kurir, UNS, 17.10.2012)

A journalist and a longtime member of the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS), Julija Bogdanovic, passed away suddenly on 16 October at the age of 54 after a short illness. She graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy. She worked as the technical editor of Privredni Pregled since 1988.
(UNS, 19.10.2012)