Home
up

Radio MIR, Tuzi – Podgorica, Montenegro

Kurzfassung deutsch: Radio MIR in Tuzi/Montenego - Unabhängige Information für die albanische Minderheit in Montenegro

• Introduction

Radio Mir in Tuzi is the only independent electronic medium in Montenegro broadcasting 80% of its program in the Albanian language. The 24-hour program is transmitted through its own network on FM waves at 106.1 MHz (in Tuzi, Podgorica and Bar) and 100.6 MHz (in Ulcinj and greater part of Albania). The radio employs six staff members on a full-time basis (5 journalists and 1 technician) and 15 assistants/volunteers on a part-time basis. All five journalists are members of the independent Association of Professional Journalists of Montenegro (IFJ) and attended various training seminars organized during last year in Montenegro. In addition, three of them received training in international training centers.

In the course of 2 and a half years of broadcasting work, Radio Mir has carried out a series of news and information programs and a vast number of cultural and educational programs, and played an important role in this part of the country in promoting tolerance between different ethnic and religious groups.  The Radio has actively participated in several regional projects, some of which are conceptualized and managed by the radio itself  (“Mutual Wave” and “Radio Bridge Podgorica – Skodra – Pristina – Skopje”). We use both languages (Serbian and Albanian) to inform the listeners on the current situation and developments in Montenegro.

By means of the internet, Radio Mir has managed to connect the local population with their co-ethnics living in diaspora. Its web-site (www.radiomirtuzi.com), which marks 2000 visits daily, enables the users to follow the most important programs of this radio and to maintain contact with both the radio and other listeners.

• Emancipation:

Having in mind the serious lack of education and overall development of this region of Montenegro, Radio Mir is determined to continue with its principle mission – general education and political and social emancipation of its listeners.

All information and political content strictly follows the principles of independent journalism and the concept of equal opportunities for all existing political options. We will, however, acknowledge those options which promote religious and ethnic tolerance. 

This region has for many years suffered economic, social and cultural stagnation. Certain modern developments have penetrated this part of Montenegro extremely slowly, while others, especially negative ones, advanced at a rapid pace, leaving a strong impact on this vulnerable structure of society, the youth in particular. According to official police statistics and those of some international agencies, the Balkan criminal passages, especially in drug trafficking, “white slavery” and all sorts of smuggling activity, go right through this very region. The surveys conducted by the reporters of the Radio Mir give grounds for suspicion that drugs are penetrating our secondary schools in Ulcinj and Malesia, venereal diseases not being uncommon either. The “white slavery” business, automobile and cigarette smuggling and other criminal activities have become a common occurrence. In order to raise awareness of this situation, Radio Mir intends to introduce a series of new programs dealing with these issues and to expand and upgrade the existing ones. 

The program “About Family – For the Family”, (the title being self-explanatory), focuses on common problems of a family as a unit, covering all from socio-pedagogical to fashion and cookery topics. Included will be the issues of equal opportunities for women, the right to education, free marriage, divorce and abortion. 

 “The Break” is a show for the youngest audience and has gained growing popularity.

The most encompassing program is “The Vice and the Consequences”, tackling the problems of drug, alcohol and nicotine abuse, and reckless and drunk driving. Specialists in these areas are invited to speak about the mentioned problems, the listeners are surveyed and encouraged to participate in the discussions through direct telephone contact. Radio Mir has initiated the idea of putting up bilingual road signs “Not faster than life” on the roads to Ulcinj and Tuzi, warning of the hazards of speeding and reckless driving.

“Doctor at Home” is also a popular show which in a simple way deals with health issues. Minding the fact that this part of the population is still considerably patriarchal with little or no health education, the programs dealing with strictly female issues and the presence of an Albanian woman gynecologist in the studio, unveiling many of the taboo subjects in direct contact or through written correspondence, attract a great interest among the young female audience. 

“The Mutual Wave” – regional program

The regional program “Mutual Wave” is a program initiated by Radio Mir on 1 June 1999 but carried out jointly with the local radio stations in Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia and Kosovo, which all broadcast in Albanian. This is the first regional information program of such concept produced in all former Yugoslavia, within the framework of the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe, which informs the Albanian population from independent sources on the most important political and other events in the countries of the region.

All editions of the “Mutual Wave” are available on the Internet (www.radiomirtuzi.com) to the Albanian diaspora in West Europe, USA, Canada and Australia. Guest-speakers are often announced beforehand so that Internet audience can prepare questions for discussion in advance or receive response via FAQ link.  Every Sunday “The Mutual Wave” connects the three regional radio stations in a one-hour joint program: Radio Mir, Radio Skodra (Albania) and Radio Vat (Skopje, Macedonia).  We maintain bilateral co-operation with “Radio Free Europe” in both languages, with DW, Blue Sky (Kosovo 2) from Pristina, and Radio EMI from Tirana.  With this project, Radio Mir has become a bridge between Albanians from all over the world and a bridge between Albanians and other people throughout  Europe.  Radio Mir continues with this program in the year 2001 with the view to expanding the network onto more media in Kosovo, Albania and Macedonia.      

“About the Diaspora – for the Diaspora”

Contact with Albanians in diaspora, in the countries of western Europe, USA, Canada and Australia, is of great importance. Radio Mir maintains a web-site (www.radiomirtuzi.com) which has 2000 visits per day, mostly members of the Albanian immigration overseas. This audience is enabled to follow the programs of our radio on a regular basis and to make direct contact or participate in them. Guest-speakers are announced beforehand so that the internet user can prepare and ask questions about the subject at hand.

In this way, the people from diaspora receive first--hand information about the situation in the region in a professional way and from independent sources, whereby they are able to avoid the negative propaganda to which they have been exposed for years.

go to top

P.O. Box, CH-8031 Zürich, Switzerland
Phone +41-1-272 46 37,  Fax +41-1-272 46 82, email: info@MEDIENHILFE.ch