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Radio Vati, Skopje, Macedonia

I. THE HISTORY OF RADIO VATI

1. Radio Vati – satisfying the need for free and independent information in Albanian language

In the recent past, Macedonian Radio-Television was the only electronic media functioning in Macedonia. One of the branches of this institution was Macedonian Radio, broadcasting on three different channels (Radio Skopje-1, Radio Skopje-2 and the Third program, broadcasting part-time). Macedonian Television represented the second branch of this Media, broadcasting on two channels. Local branches of the Macedonian Radio, functioning in other municipalities (towns) as local radio-stations, were the third part of the main and only electronic media in Macedonia. Macedonian Radio-Television is a media under total governmental control, financed mostly by the Macedonian Government.

Programs in Albanian language and other minority languages were incorporated in the Macedonian Radio-Television program schedule, but in a very low percentage. According to information from the Macedonian Bureau of Statistics, 484,228 ethnic Albanians live in Macedonia , or 23% of the total population of the Republic of Macedonia. Only in the Skopje region, 20.8% of the citizens, or 113,426, are ethnic Albanians.

For all these reasons, a need for fast and objective information in the Skopje region, and throughout Macedonia, especially in the Albanian language, was imperative. This kind of informing was to be free of governmental and political propaganda and influence. Radio Vati emerged as a product of this need.

At first, Radio Vati was a branch of “Vat-Inos” – a private trading company, owned by brothers Ekrem and Rahim Kadriu. Due to that, all the activities of Radio Vati were financed by the commercial programs of the radio and by the company’s running businesses. Advertisements were large contributors to the budget, but commercials and sponsored programs were also covering the needs.

In 1998, according to the new broadcasting law, Radio Vati was registered as an independent institution, as Trading Broadcasting Company “Radio Vati”, and was no longer a branch of the “Vat-Inos” Company.

2. Radio Vati – reliable media

Radio Vati is among the first private radio stations in Skopje and Macedonia, founded in April 1994. This was a period when dozens of other private radio and television stations broadcasted without a license, but there was no legal regulation to restrict this work. Only recently Macedonia finally started regulating the broadcasting. Initially, only in the Skopje region there where five radio stations and two television stations broadcasting in Albanian language, and more than 30 broadcasting stations in Macedonian.

However, Radio Vati outran the competition and became one of the favorite radio stations in the region. This was possible due to the serious work and dedication of the employees to professional and objective informing.

 II. THE EDITORIAL POLICY OF RADIO VATI

The principals of impartial and objective informing always guide the staff of Radio Vati. Main engagements cover daily events and developments, especially in Macedonia; but also the promotion of human rights, non-discriminating policy and the identification of problems and interests of citizens.

The multiethnic and multicultural society of Macedonia gives us the opportunity to work seriously on these issues, with a special retrospection in resolving interethnic hatred and intolerance, which has deep roots in Macedonia and the Balkans.

Radio Vati is among the few independent media in Macedonia working with a program schedule created on the basis of audience interests and needs. Changes in the program schedule are always made after consulting the Editorial Council of the radio, but also different categories of listeners.

Starting from 2000, Radio Vati has its own Editorial Council, consisting of independent journalists, publishers and analysts, all of them well-respected persons of the Macedonian society. This Council gives suggestions, proposals and evaluations for all the changes to be done in the program schedule. On the other hand, the Council never takes decisions about the radio.

III. PROGRAM STRUCTURE OF RADIO VATI

Radio Vati is broadcasting a daily 24-hour program, always including different issues for different categories of listeners. News; economic, political and social events; programs dedicated to woman, children and youth issues; music; culture, art and entertainment – these are the themes (programs) that give a reflection of Radio Vati's work.

1. News:

Radio Vati produces and broadcasts 7 editions of news daily: 6 editions of short news (not more than 5 minutes each), and one edition of headlines, transmitted at 6.00 p.m. Short editions of news include main events from Macedonia and other parts of the world. Headlines include all of these plus news, reports and “packages” produced by Radio Vati's journalists. The sources of information for our radio are journalists, correspondents and of course different news agencies. Sometimes we broadcast special programs (not longer than 10 minutes) in addition to headlines, in cases of important and crucial events concerning the region.

2. Other informative programs

During weekdays, Radio Vati broadcasts a morning program, “Radio plus…” This 5-hour morning program (7.00 a.m.-12.00) combines music and live transmitting, and includes different information concerning daily matters and problems of our society and environment. For example: weather; public services (such as problems or new constructions in water supply, electricity, sewage systems, city maintenance, etc.), follow-up on different projects that are being implemented in the Skopje region (information that we consider important for our listeners), cultural and sport activities, etc. Depending on the subject, the morning program is also combined with live calls of journalists, representatives of public institutions or cultural and artistic events.

On Fridays, Radio Vati produces a 60-minute program treating main events that happened during the week. Different analysts, experts and government representatives are invited in the studio to discuss different matters of interest during the week. The program is broadcasted live and is open for listeners and their questions.

On Sundays, 60 minutes of the morning program are dedicated to economy and agriculture in rural regions. Rural economy, infrastructure, agriculture and farming are always interesting in this region, where most of the people make their living by cultivating the soil.

Ecology and environment are also a part of this program, presenting different activities of citizens’ associations, government institutions or individuals.

On Wednesdays, Radio Vati broadcasts a 60-minute program dedicated to women. Different activities of women organizations and associations are being presented in this program, as well as personal achievements or problems of women in our society.

On Saturdays Radio Vati broadcasts a documentary program, presenting phenomena or life stories, not characteristic for everyday living. Every single edition of this program has its own human message for the Macedonian society and global population.

3. Entertainment and music program

On weekday afternoons, for 90 minutes, the schedule anticipates the broadcasting of “Post meridian” programs that is dealing with short and interesting information about the world of music, movies, celebrities, culture, etc.

Youth is also present in Radio Vati’s program schedule once a week, introducing youth activities and successes in different branches of life, such as education, entertainment, etc. through their involvement in different projects of their concern.

The program structure of Radio Vati is naturally enriched with music programs, such as the countdown list of the top songs.

IV.   COOPERATION WITH OTHER RADIO STATIONS

Radio Vati is cooperating with some radio stations in Macedonia and in the region. This cooperation is based on co-production of programs with bilateral interests, and on news and other program exchange. Other radio-stations cooperating with our media are: “Radio Mir – Studio Teuta”, Tuzi/Podgorica, Montenegro; and “Radio Shkodra”, Shkodra, Albania. Every Sunday, Radio Vati produces a live program that is being broadcasted on three different frequencies (radio stations) and also broadcasts their productions. This is the way exchange of information between three radio-stations functions. The sort of information that interests all partners in this broadcast-cooperation consists of actual events in these three countries.

Since a few years ago, Radio Vati exchanges information with other media in Macedonia, such as TV “Era”, Skopje and since last year with “Radio Plus Forte” from Tetovo.

V. SIZE AND COMPOSITION OF THE AUDIENCE  

Until May 2000, this radio was broadcasting its program on FM air bands, a frequency of 89,6 MHz, using a 500-Watt transmitter. But since that date, the program is being broadcasted on 88,4 MHz, using 240 Watts, the frequency licensed by the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Radio Vati is covering the Skopje region, some parts of Kumanovo, the periphery of Tetovo and the southern region of Kosovo. Restriction in transmitting power did not have negative effects on our work. According to some information, mostly listener’s responses (letters, telephone calls or e-mails), we have learned that the number of our listeners is about 50,000. The structure of the listeners of Radio Vati is diverse. It includes citizens of different age and professions and of both genders. However we have to note that the younger generation makes up a big part of our listeners.

VI. FINANCIAL SITUATION OF RADIO VATI

a) Reflections of the economic situation in Macedonia

Over the past years, private media in Macedonia faced a lot of financial problems as a result of the difficult economic and political situation in this country, war in Kosovo and the current situation in the region. Beside this, unfair competition is making the situation even more complicated. Stagnation of the economic reforms in Macedonia is accompanied by falling production (manufacture), downfall of living standard and increased unemployment.  A rapid fall of interest in advertisement in Macedonian companies appears as a result. In the end, it has a direct negative reflection on private media.

b) Unfair competition with illegal media

The total number of private electronic media broadcasting in Macedonia is 304. 118 of them broadcast illegally. They are not paying the concessions, taxes, insurance etc. so the advertisements in these media are much cheaper than the ones in legally broadcasting media. Legal private media, through the Broadcasting Council of Macedonia, put constant pressure on the Macedonian Government to close this enormous number of illegally broadcasting media. But the government has not responded to this request, yet. A lot of smaller or not very strong media had to terminate their work as a result of this competition. So Radio Vati has remained the only independent and serious radio station broadcasting in Albanian language in the Skopje region which continues the work on the principles of professional and objective informing.

VII. RADIO VATI SURVIVED WITH THE HELP OF DONORS

In this difficult economic situation, Radio Vati continues to have an enormous disproportion between expenses and incomes. This disproportion, with all the sacrifice and engagement of the employees, would have definitely led to the worst solution – closing the radio station. But Radio Vati survived with the help of donors. A great deal of donations (grants) was spent on equipment and other elementary expenses, such as the production and office supplies.

X. PROBLEMS AND NEEDS OF RADIO VATI

a) The insufficiency of professional personnel

One of the problems of Radio Vati in the last three years has been the insufficiency of professional staff, especially journalists. This is primarily a result of the difficult economic situation of the radio in the recent years.

Because of the low salaries and constantly late pay, the most experienced staff of Radio Vati left. Their replacement in these conditions was almost impossible, so young and inexperienced journalists were the only solution. However, even this strategy has not improved the situation. For this reason Radio Vati started engaging journalists from outside the radio, mostly for the weekly programs.

b) Replacement of the transmitter

Radio Vati has a 500-Watt transmitter, model RVR (Italian product). This is the first and only transmitter Radio Vati ever used. According to technical specification, this transmitter can be used for a maximum of 10 years. But the variation of electricity voltage and frequent interruptions of the electricity supply make this transmitter very inconvenient, with the constant risk of becoming useless. Therefore, buying a new transmitter is one of the basic needs and goals for this year.  

c) Other equipment

In the Skopje region, especially during the winter, we have to deal with frequent electricity interruptions, which cause serious problems in the program broadcasting. Radio Vati neither owns a generator for the studio, nor for the transmitter. Radio Vati does not have UPS (small computer generators), either. So, in the case of electricity problems, we keep loosing all the files running at the moment.

Two generators (for studio and transmitter) and six UPS will complete the list of needed equipment for the normal functioning of Radio Vati.

XI. GOALS OF RADIO VATI FOR THE YEAR 2001

a) Training for journalists

During this year Radio Vati will intensively work on completing and improving the needed staff. We plan to achieve this by organizing professional trainings for young journalists. Two different kinds of training are being planned:

• Training for insufficiently experienced journalists and

• Training for journalist-beginners

Training of our young journalists will be organized and run by our most experienced staff. If there is a need, for this purpose Radio Vati will engage experienced journalists from other media, too.

Training and education of journalist-beginners can be organized together with other private media in Macedonia that are facing the same problem. Most experienced journalists of these media can be organizers and leaders of the training for their colleagues.

Professionals, employed in a prestigious West-European electronic media, could also run this training. Domestic professional journalists could also be included in these projects.

b) Changes in the commercial program

This year we plan to make some changes in our commercial program, aiming to enforce this sector of the radio. We expect higher incomes to emerge as a result. The following are the changes being considered:

• To decrease the prices of production and broadcasting commercials;

• To increase the cooperation with different marketing agencies.

Cheaper production and broadcasting of commercials and advertisings is a necessity, although it is against the agreement among electronic media and members of the Broadcasting Council of Macedonia. It is a necessity because of the difficult economic situation of Macedonian companies and because of the unfair competition on the Macedonian media market.

These are also the reasons that push us forward in starting cooperation with specialized marketing agencies.

c) Establishment of the Administrative (Managerial) Board

Soon Radio Vati will establish its Administrative Board. Analyzing this matter, we concluded that three profiles of actual staff of this radio should be included in the structure of the Board. The owners, journalists and technicians are the main categories of employees.

The main goal we want to achieve with the establishment of this Board is democratization in the reports between the owners and other employees. We plan to see better results and efficacy as well as better work determination.

Skopje, January 2001 Radio Vati: Ekrem Kadri, Director Executive

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