ANEM WEEKLY MEDIA UPDATE

SEPTEMBER 22 - SEPTEMBER 28, 2001

• THE ASSOCIATION OF EUROPEAN JOURNALISTS CONGRESS

BRATISLAVA, September 24, 2001 - The Association of European Journalists Congress in Bratislava began Saturday.

Representatives of Yugoslav journalist organisation will seek for membership at the congress.

More than 3,500 journalists from 27 countries will discuss media influence on public opinion, European integration processes in countries that are candidates for the admission into EU, reporting on Roma issue and the progress of preparations made by the countries of Visegrad Four and Slovenia for the European Union membership. 

According to the information from the Yugoslav embassy, the following associations will seek membership into the Association of European Journalists ­ The Independent Association of Serbian Journalists, The Alliance of Serbian Journalists, the Alliance of Montenegrin Journalists and The Alliance of Yugoslav Journalists.  (Beta).

• OLJA BECKOVIC THE FIRST WINNER OF THE PRIZE “WINNING FREEDOM” 

BELGRADE, September 25, 2001 ­ Belgrade journalist Olja Beckovic is the first winner of the prize “Winning Freedom” given by the Maja Marsicevic-Tasic Foundation.

The prize “Winning Freedom” by the Maja Marsicevic-Tasic Foundation, which was established by the Civic Alliance of Serbia and Maja’s friends, will be given every September 24th “to women whose actions intercede in favour of affirmation of the principle of human rights, the rule of law, democracy and tolerance in political communications”. 

The president of this year’s jury, the editor-in-chief of PG “Mreza”, Lila Radonjic, said Olja Beckovic had uncompromisingly fought the ruling structures to get her own way that led to a free society.

When receiving the prize, Beckovic said it was the first prize she has received in her life, and that she finds it important both because it carries Marsicevic-Tasic's name and for the time it was given. 

• SEEMO FUND FOR IMMEDIATE SUPPORT TO JOURNALISTS

BELGRADE, September 25, 2001 ­ The main goal for South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) fund for urgent cases is to help create a suitable climate for the freedom of press in the region of South East Europe.  Numerous journalists in South East Europe still face a multitude of obstacles, and some of them have suffered from the power and other groups in the society, SEEMO explained.  In order to support these journalists, SEEMO has created a fund for urgent cases.

Developed only to provide aid to journalists when it is most needed, the SEEMO Fund for Urgent Cases can provide direct support within 48 hours. The fund can be used in various situations, including temporary accommodation in foreign countries and paying fees for legal aid and equipment.

Apart from providing aid, the SEEMO Fund for Urgent Cases will provide support for minor media projects in the region of South East Europe.  Several months are often needed for media to get the needed financial aid from donors, and due to such bureaucratic obstacles, SEEMO is ready to react quickly in urgent cases. T he maximum amount for these cases is 15,000 Euro.

• STOJAN CEROVIC: “I WILL WAIT FOR CRKVENJAKOV’S EXPLANATION”

BELGRADE, September 25, 2001 ­ "I will wait to see what Aleksandar Crkvenjakov, the general director of Radio Television of Serbia can say about the decision to keep Milorad Komrakov, the former editor-in-chief of the news programme, employed in the company.  Such a decision is a surprise and is entirely contrary to what the Executive Board had decided earlier,” Stojan Cerovic told daily Danas.

When the information that Komrakov would return to work appeared, Cerovic, who is a member of Radio Television of Serbia Executive Board, said he would resign his post if the information turns to be true.

As Cerovic alleges, the Executive Board made the decision that a number of people that were in the company management during the past ten years, among whom Komrakov, should be dismissed.

However, Crkvenjakov denied the information that there would be mass dismissals of the state-owned television’s former management during the former regime, except in cases where they violated working obligations. 

He also said that Komrakov, who was until recently on a sick leave, would be transferred to a post that does not include journalism work, because “according to the law, he has the right to work”.  

“I will wait for the explanation by the Radio Television of Serbia general director. I don’t think that Komrakov must be dismissed or expelled, but he has to be moved out of the profession. It is acceptable if he takes the position of a gatekeeper or courier,” Cerovic says. 

• RADIO TELEVISON OF SERBIA TO BE OVERHAULED

BELGRADE, September 26, 2001 ­ The new information act will be promoted in Media Centre today, and after two weeks of a public debate and conducting proposed amendments, it will be submitted to the parliament for examination. 

According to Serbian deputy prime minister Zarko Korac, the act is supposed to enter the parliament procedure not later than the beginning of November. 

"We still don't know whether the Radio Television of Serbia will be included in this act or in a special act. According to European standards, the Radio Television of Serbia should be turned into a public service. It means that even the parliament would not influence its work, but the television would be managed by a group of independent persons," Korac explained and stressed that it was necessary to maintain material stability for the Radio Television of Serbia first.

• DEMACI AT THE HELM OF RADIO TELEVISION OF KOSOVO 

BELGRADE, September 27, 2001 - At its first meeting, the board of editors of Radio Television of Kosovo elected Kosovo Albanian leader Adem Demaci as its chair.  

“I am very pleased that representatives of the civic society will be at the head of the means of public information in Kosovo.  The Board has now taken over a very important role and a huge responsibility for managing the Radio Television of Kosovo,” OSCE mission chief in Kosovo ambassador Daan Everts declared. . (FoNet)  

• DRAFT OF THE INFORMATION ACT PRESENTED

BELGRADE, September 27, 2001 - Deputy of the editor-in-chief of Radio Television of Serbia news programme, Branislav Guzina, and the assistant to the editor-in-chief of Radio Television of Serbia Belgrade programme, Dragan Milanovic Pilac, accused DOS of deliberately postponing the law on the state-owned television, and of systematically controlling RTS as a direct transmission of its political will and interests, instead of reconstructing the company. 

Guzina said that the period when the executive and official management had not been appointed was the golden era for the Radio Television of Serbia, and accused all DOS politicians of directly interfering with Radio Television of Serbia editorial policy.  

"I think there is somebody’s idea that Radio Television of Serbia should be entirely marginalized, that a part of its infrastructure should be privatised, and that the company should remain a marginalized, impersonal medium, and that a part of its function should be taken over by a television insolence, such as Television Pink, which no one wanted to mention after October 5, and which is now pompously starting with a media support for its news programme,” Guzina said. 

Guzina and his colleague Milanovic Pilac said they would organise a workers’ gathering on October 5, when they would call on all citizens to help the Radio Television of Serbia and not allow it to be what it had been until a year ago. 

Political pressures and influence of parties to editorial policy of media were among the topics most interesting for journalists at the conference at which the draft of the information act was presented.  

Both the Serbian government vice president, Zarko Korac, and the representative of the working group that worked on the draft, and recently also the director of Radio Belgrade, Rade Veljanovski, argued that pressures on media exist even in most democratic societies.  

"This is common for all politicians, but media are more resistant in countries where there is material independence of media, customs and practice that prevent people from abusing their political functions in order to exert pressure on media. Our public still has to get mature in that sense, but even in most developed societies, where media managed to distance themselves from influence, there are such influences.” 

The draft prohibits public politicians from becoming members of media managing structures that are financed from public income, as well as that parties cannot be founders of electronic media. 

Veljanovski said the law was made so that it suits not only journalists and lawyers, but also inevitable social changes in Yugoslavia. 

"This law should represent a legal environment for a modern, democratic journalism that can contribute the changes,” Veljanovski said.  (B92)

• KOMRAKOV WORKING IN ZVECKA

BELGRADE, September 27, 2001 - Former editor-in-chief of Radio Television of Serbia news programme Milorad Komrakov began a job in the town of Zvecka near Obrenovac on Wednesday, at the location where Radio Television of Serbia transmitter used to be before the NATO bombing, Radio B92 learnt. 

He is now working in gatekeepers lodge, which is the only building that was not destroyed. He will handle general matters.

source: ANEM
published by: Roland Brunner rbr@medienhilfe.ch date of release on this site: 05-10-2001

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