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ANEM

Association of Independent Electronic Media

• Background

After the dramatic changes in FR Yugoslavia in September and October 2000, the media scene in the country is undergoing extensive re-shaping. In addition to the independent news outlets that have developed over the past decade and formed a strong front over the past three years that was nevertheless subject to intensive obstruction at the hands of the former regime, the changes in the government have lead to a sort of liberation of the state-controlled media, which is still mostly superficial.

Although the international community will want to reform the state media and invest a lot of its resources there, the state media will probably follow the example of all other Central and Eastern European countries and not become independent. Therefore independent non-state national broadcasting will remain necessary as a truly independent ‘watch-dog force’ over the political and social developments in the country.

Democracy is not built overnight. Government needs constant pressure from free media, to keep it on democratic paths. While Yugoslavia has many “newly liberated” media outlets, they have yet to prove themselves; ANEM’s independent media voice will continue to play a vital role in helping carry Serbia into democracy.

ANEM and B92 will in the next several months work out a detailed plan to handle the transition towards a fully self-sustainable organisation of well-positioned and well-formatted news outlets in the new environment, while continuing to provide credible, accurate, timely and balanced news and information – the cornerstone of regional democratisation and long-term stability – to audiences in FR Yugoslavia, and to facilitate the exchange of information and news though cooperation of the independent broadcast outlets in the region.

• Description of organisation

In 1993 a group of local independent broadcast media in Serbia and Montenegro - Radio B92, Radio Bum 93, Radio Antena M4, Radio Bajina Basta, Radio Smederovo, Radio Kragujevac and NTV Studio B - founded the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM).

From the outset, ANEM's overarching aim has been to build a Network of professional broadcast media across Serbia and Montenegro, which is equipped to provide citizens with timely, accurate and balanced news, political analysis and public information. The stations are all united by a shared commitment to the fundamental principles of professional journalistic ethics and standards, democracy, respect for human rights and tolerance.

A government crackdown on some of the ANEM stations early in 1996 left the Association with only four active members - Radio B92, Radio Bum 93, Radio Antena M and Radio Bajina Basta. In December 1996 this number fell to three when the Serbian government also banned Radio Bum 93. However, building on the political gains of the 1996-97 mass civic demonstrations, ANEM launched in June 1997 a Radio Network with 19 affiliated independent local radio stations (including a small number of television outlets) across Serbia and Montenegro, increasing Network impact and coverage dramatically. In September 1997 ANEM pressure on the government also led to the lifting of the year ban on Radio Bum 93. By June 1998, the ANEM radio Network had expanded to include 35 stations and had built a collective audience reach of 1.6 million – rivaling for the first time state-controlled Radio Belgrade (with 2.4 million).

However, during 1998 and 1999 government officials stepped up repression against ANEM Network stations, and a number of affiliates were banned or taken over. Then under cover of the NATO air strikes the authorities seized control of the Network flagship Radio B92 and closed down 8 other members. However, by August 1999, all affiliates banned during the NATO air strikes had returned to the air. Today the Radio Network’s current membership of 28 has a collective coverage of 55% of the population of Serbia and 80% of Montenegro. It has an estimated audience reach of 1.1 million.

National / international news and current affairs programming for the ANEM Radio Network is produced by the team of professional journalists that were expelled from B92. This programme – B(2)92 – is available to stations for re-broadcast via satellite.

ANEM became a legal entity in December 1997. ANEM is registered under Serbian Company law as a business association of three (founding) associate members (Radio B92, Radio Bum 92 and RTV Bajina Basta) and an unspecified number of affiliates.

In 1998, ANEM's radio affiliates also elected members to three committees, which manage the Network on a daily basis. These committees are for: programming, commercial management and technical development.  

• Target group, coverage and audience reach

ANEM currently gathers 31 radio and 18 television stations (please refer to the list below). In addition, some 50 more stations have applied for membership. All carry ANEM network news and current affairs programs.

In Serbia, the ANEM and B92 programming represents the most important, and trusted source of professional national and international news for local audiences. In Montenegro, ANEM members serve as an important bridge between the information environments of the two republics. The B92 news for ANEM provides audiences in Montenegro with news about developments in Belgrade and Serbia that would not otherwise be available, as does the news from Montenegro stations provide information for audiences in Serbia.

Collective coverage of the project via terrestrial broadcast on ANEM radio affiliates, excluding Kosovo, is currently an estimated at least 75% of the overall population.

ANEM Affiliates

Correct on September 20, 2000

Radio Network

1  Radio 021, Novi Sad

2  Radio Boom93, Pozarevac

3  Radio B92, Belgrade

4  Radio Cetinje (Montenegro)

5  Radio City, Nis

6  Radio Drina, Skelani

7  Radio Globus, Kraljevo

8  Radio Impuls, Vrsac

9 Radio Jasenica, Smederevska Palanka

10   Radio Kontakt Plus, Kosovska Mitrovica (Kosovo)

11   Radio Kontakt, Pristina (Kosovo)

12  Radio Kotor (Montenegro)

13   Radio M+, Mladenovac

14                    Radio Ozon, Cacak

15                    Radio Patak, Valjevo

16                    Radio Petica, Nis

17                    Radio Sokobanja

18                    Radio Sombor

19                    Radio Subotica

20                    Radio Uzice

21                    RTV Bajina Basta

22                    RTV Cacak

23                    RTV Devic, Smederevska Palanka

24                    RTV Kragujevac

25                    RTV Kraljevo

26                    RTV Pancevo

27                    RTV Pirot

28                    RTV Pozega

29                    RTV Trstenik

30                    RTV VK, Kikinda*

Television Network

1.       Gradska TV, Nis

2.       RTV Bajina Basta, Bajina Basta

3.       RTV Devic, Smederevska palanka

4.       RTV Grk, Prokuplje

5.       RTV Ibarske novine, Kraljevo

6.       RTV Kragujevac, Kragujevac

7.       RTV Pancevo, Pancevo

8.       RTV Pirot, Pirot

9.       RTV Pozega, Pozega

10.   RTV Trstenik, Trstenik

11.   STV Negotin, Negotin

12.   TV 5, Uzice

13.   TV Cacak, Cacak

14.   TV Glas Obiliceva, Novi Knezevac

15.   TV Kursumlija, Kursumlija

16.   TV Lav, Vrsac (banned)

17.   TV Nemanja, Cuprija

18.   TV Soko, Soko Banja

NOTE   The following stations applied for membership in ANEM by September 20:

1.       Radio Arandjelovac

2.       Radio Bor

3.       Radio Herz, Leskovac

4.       Radio Vladicin Han, Zitoradja

5.       Radio Lazarevac

6.       Radio Leskovac

7.       Radio Luna, Uzice

8.       Radio Novi Becej

9.       Radio Novi Pazar

10.   Radio Obrenovac

11.   Radio OK, Vranje

12.   Radio Smederevo

13.   Radio Stara Pazova

14.   Radio Vrnjacka Banja

15.   Radio Zrenjanin

16.   RTV Cuprija

17.   RTV Aleksinac

18.   TV Sumadija, Arandjelovac

19.   TV Barajevo

20.   TV Jedinstvo, Novi Pazar

21.   TV Apolo, Novi Sad

22.   TV Leskovac

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