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Local radio station RADIO BAJINA BASTA
ADDRESS:
 Po Box 105,
Svetosavska 95, 31250 Bajina Basta, Serbia
PHONE/FAX:
Phone: + 381 31 851 688
Fax: + 381 31 851 968
E-mail: radiobb@opennet.org
PERSONS IN CHARGE:
Boban Tomic, Editor-in-Chief
I PROJECT SUMMARY:
Radio B.B. is a local station established in a small
provincial town Bajina Basta (western Serbia) in 1992. Radio
programme covers the area of the border between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This radio station was created and established by a group of
young enthusiasts who wanted to make contribution to the solution
of Yugoslav crisis. We wanted to do that in a modern and contemporary
way.
The radio station was needful, we thought, because there are no
signals here from Belgrade and Novi Sad. This is mountainous
terrain where away far radio and TV waves could not reach. This area
in inhabited mainly by rural people and workers who are in 2:1
proportion to (people from the town) city people. Only one third
is inhabited by city people who are above the rural level judging
by cultural model.
This is the same case in whole western Serbia and eastern Bosnia
as far as demographic structure is similar. Our aim was and stayed
the same: to make influence gradually in changing cultural,
political, economic and social conscience of these people and
turn in to Europe cultural modality. That would be a long and
hard process, and only 10 years after the important results could
be seen, although we are yet satisfied with certain changes in
our listeners’ and readers’ way of thinking.
Special difficulty is that this region belongs to a so called
"Dinaric psycho-ethnic model". And Dianrids are the
mutual name for the main part of mountainous Balkan area (Bosnia
and Herzegovina, some parts of Croatia and parts of Serbia). This model
of people is quite special: belligerent, aggressive, burdened by
historical prejudices, broken of a working habit during the period
of communism, proud (conceited), frustrated, xenophobic, etc.
These are main characteristics, although there are some
differences from a region to a region.
In our own opinion, that kind of conscience could be changed only
gradually, by determined and systemic cultural, political and
economical activities. The people should change themselves in order
to live Europe, and advocates of these changes should be.
Educated and progressive people who have gained their knowledge
and experience trough the media and cultural activities. Thus we
appreciate and respect all principles of democracy, humanism,
internationalism and we obey the rules and principles established
by international legal standards, conventions and by charter of
the United Nations, institution of Europe integration. We also
respect and obey the basic principles of some organisations which
we belong to and whose member we are: IFJ/FIEJ - International
Federation of Journalists from Brussels, AMARC-Shefield, Article
19 - London, ANEM and Local Press - Yugoslav association of independent
electronic media and local newspapers from Belgrade.
Right and freedom (to speak up) of speech and expression,
publicity of activities, right to political, religious and any
other personal commitment, status acquired by birth, national affiliation -
these categories are sacred things of any democratic society.
But, unfortunately, in our society these categories are
endangered. And our work and activity serve to protect them. These
are the motives and reasons of our existence.
This insert is from our radio stations declaration: All
programmes and publications (issues) of "Radio BB" are
completely independent on the government, religious, commercial
(direct as well as indirect) influences and they exist on
non-commercial (non-profit) basis, which means on the basis of
clearing the real expenses.
II BACKGROUND
In 1992 the most terrible war broke. Our radio station was
small one and was not able to oppose and resist the advancing forces
of war, crime, politics and genocide. However, we started to
broadcast our programme on the same day (May 15, 1992) when the
first shots flew the river Drina in both ways. There is no doubt
that we were persistent, hardworking and brave above all. Since
then we have been making a Special little war for freedom of
speech, publicity democracy; we kept our citizens informed. We
followed all principles of international conventions, charts, the
world standards in the domain of culture and journalism. Together with the
family of independent Yugoslav media such as: Radio B-92, Nasa
Borba, Vreme, NIN, AIM, Nezavisna Svetlost, VIN, Monitor etc. ,
we are struggling for the truth. That is our only aim.
Our radio station was established and started its activity on May
15, 1992. We are privately owned firm whereas Mr Boban Tomic
manager owns 75% of shares of the firm and the other 25% are
shared among the staff working in the Radio. Employees of the
radio were younger than 21 years and with completed education.
They were unemployed and with big chances of being sent into war.
We were registered then with all authorised government agencies
and we got a legal work permit. Federal Ministry for transport
and communications gave it to us on April 23, 1993 under the
number: 491/000298/001. We got a Commercial registration with the
competent Commercial court in a town called Uzice (35 km far from
B. Basta) on February 7, 1992 under the number: F;46/92.
So far, we have realised the following projects :
1. We have started a local newspaper "Bajinobastanske
novine", which is published a month with the circulation of
3000 copies.
2. We also started a youth magazine called "Argus",
which is published twice a month and with the same circulation as B.Bnewspaper.
3. Art colony "Kiprijan" (Cyprian) was started in 1994.
Every summer it gathers 10-15 painters, sculptors, graphic
artists from our country and from abroad. Up to now, 43 artist took
part in the activities of the Colony. They leave their works of
art here and we are forming a local museum of modern art. The
character of the Colony is international.
4. During the war we also started and organised a service for
employing young people. About 2000 young unemployed people found
a job trough the service which
intermediated between an employer and young workers.
5. In 1992, we started local cultural artistic and scientific
almanac called "Bastina", which is published in a form
of a book every year and which has got around 200 pages. Its
content are scientific and professional articles and essays about
this region.
6. During 1995, with the financial support from the SOROS
Foundation (20 000 DM), we constructed a new antenna pole on a
mountain near Bajina Basta. Some final construction works are to
be done (30%) so that the antenna could function. Then the
audibility area would be extended over the whole territory of
west Serbia and east Bosnia and Herzegovina. We have acquired all
local permissions needed for this project.
7. In the end of 1995, we started project for the refurbishment
of our owned business offices (some 200 m2). We have just put the
roof over the attic of building and we do not have any money left
to continue the construction work. Westminster foundation for
Democracy from London gave us a financial help of 30 000 DM. We
acquired 30 000 DM by our own, and we need around 120 000 DM more
to finish all the project.
Our activities during the past period are as follows:
1. Humanitarian activities during 1992 and 1993 for the refuges
from eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina and west Serbia - we collected
clothes, shoes, food supplies and medicines. We helped the parted
families to be together again, co-operating with the
International Red Cross Committees (and searching services), as
well as with Radio Deutche Welle in Serbian language. Now, we are
collecting money from local donators for buying vaccine for
refugee children and the children
living in Podrinje (on the right bank of the river Drina). There
is fear from epidemic and infections with the first warm spring weather.
2. Our journalists and reporters passed education and training in
bigger independent editorial offices such as : "Studio
B", "Nasa Borba", Radio B-92, "Vreme".
The aim is to train and teach our young journalists and introduce
new technics and technologies to them. It is a continuos activity
and is performed trough permanent and continuos visits to these
editorial offices.
3. During the four years of our existence a lot of well known
people from the world of culture, art and science took part in numerous
speakers platforms we have organised so far.
Our objectives and reasons of our very existence are democratic
and liberal principles of modern world society. We also want
freedom of speech, our activity to
be known in public. We do not want to be provincial, but opened
to the world. We ought to survive horrible scenes of the war, and
to reconstruct and renew the destroyed ex-YU community .
Regarding the editorial policy, all programmes and all publishing
(papers and books) are completely independent of any government,
religious, commercial (direct and indirect) influences and they
exist on the basis of clearing the expenses and for minimal wages
(monthly salary is 200 DM per employee). There is no profit at
all.
Editorial staff runs all programmes. The director is at the same
time the editor- in-chief. Editorial staff-members are the
editors of all columns, the newspaper and the radio programme.
Each editor has freedom for making decisions about contents of
the programme and the newspaper. An editor is obliged to consult
the editor-in-chief if he can not solve the problem, but anyway,
an editor himself makes decision. Any editor can be punished or suspended
only by decision of the editor-in-chief and if there is an
agreement of at least 50% members of the editorial staff. This principle
is our internal rule, as the law allows (and even stimulates)
much more rigid attitude of the chief towards his employees.
The Radio BB audience audibility area covers Bajina Basta, Uzice,
Kosjeric, Ljubovija, some parts of Valjevo (these towns are in
Serbia) and in Bosnia and Herzegovina it covers the towns such as
Visegrad, Srebrenica, Skelani, Bratunac, Zvornik. During the war,
Moslems who used to live in enclaves Zepa and Srebrenica had
listened to our program, too. Our audience is about 100 000
people. Our radio programme is being broadcast 18 hours a day - 6
a.m. to 12 p.m.
The circulation of local newspaper "Bajinobastanske
novine" (Bajina Basta news) is about 3000 copies twice a
month. Youth magazine called "Argus" is published in
2000 copies also twice a month. The magazine is distributed in
Bajina Basta and Uzice as well as on the addresses of 500 subscribers
in our country and abroad.
From its very start the Radio BB has co-operated with the
following media from our country: "Radio B92" (we take
over its programme YU TOPIA, an interview of the day twice a week and
some exclusive reporter calling from Belgrade. We also make a
successful co-operation with publishing houses "Vreme",
"Nasa Borba" and some local newspapers such as "Nezavisna svetlost"
(an independent light) from Kragujevac "Vranjske
novine" (the newspapers of Vranje), "Zapisi" (records)
from Cacak, magazine HAS from Novi Pazar. Every day we take over
day general and phono service of news agencies "FoNet"
"Beta" from Belgrade. We also intend to have
co-operation with some independent media and agencies from
Sarajevo, Banja Luka and Zagreb.
Our journalists are members of some non-governmental
organisations such as Trade-union of Independent Media of Serbia. We
made contacts with a lot of humanitarian organisations: Danish Council
for Refugees, "Spona", "Adra" and others. Our role
was (without any profit) to keep the refugees informed and
educated. We had a great support from the SOROS Foundation, Westminster
Foundation for Democracy, UNESCO, IFJ/FIEJ and Movement of Democratic Freedom
(Paris).
We are members of: AMARC, ARTICHOKE 19, Local Press (YU), ANEM,
and UEPS.
We cooperate with: IFJ/FIEJ trough their co-ordinating centre in
Ljubljana, UNESCO trough its Westminster Foundation for Democracy
from London, SOROS Foundation trough their office in Belgrade,
AMARC-Europe via their office in Shefield, Committee for human
rights - Helsinki; OSCE. However, we have got some financial
support only from SOROS Foundation and WFD-London, while the
co-operation with the others was trough seminars, conferences, round-tables,
etc.
We also had a great moral support from press agencies of
embassies of the USA, Great Britain, Canada and Germany. We have
had some contacts with Observers mission ICFY on the Drina river
which closed to work recently. We get important and valuable
information from press services of UNPF and IFOR.
We also have media co-operation with the VOA in Serbian, BBC in
Serbian, Detuche
Welle in Serbian, Radio Free Europe in southslavic languages. We
take over approximately 150 minutes (2,5 hours ) of direct satellite
news programme a day and we broadcast it in Podrinje. During the
night, we take-over 6 hours of direct VOA programme Europe - in English.
III PROJECT OBJECTIVES:
1) Final solution of a problem concerning our business offices
is our most important task. From the very beginning we have been
working on the rented premises (60 m2) which are too small for our
activities. Last year we made an agreement with dwells of a
building where we built an attic and covered it with the roof.
There are about 200 m2 which is quite enough space. In those construction
works we have spent 60.000 DM (WFD helped us with 30 000 DM and
we succeeded in collecting the same sum from our local sponsors).
At this particular moment we are literally without a cent. Hardly
can we collect some money for regular expenses and workers salaries
which are late even for 3-6 months. We need some 120 000 DM more
so we could refurbish the business offices and carry out our
project.
2) Extension of audibility area will be possible when we finish
instalment of the antenna pole (repetitor). About 70% of that work
is done. A little house (4x5 m) for storing the emission equipment
is built. But we still need: fence, 850 of electric wire, mini-trafostation,
some bricklaying and tin works. We need about 20 000 DM for that.
Then we would be able to activate the transmitter which we
already have. Audibility area will cover two thirds of west Serbia
and east Bosnia and Herzegovina with towns: Uzice, Valjevo,
Bajina Basta, Ljubovija, Mali Zvornik, Loznica, Visegrad,
Vlasenica, Srebrenica, Rogatica, Skelani, Bratunac, Zvornik and
mountains Tara and Zlatibor.
3) We intend to enlarge circulation of our newspaper during 1996:
to buy a printing press (A3 format ), with offset technology - in
that way we can print our newspaper in our own printing shop. Our
newspaper will cost 45% less, so we expect the increasing of the
copies (issues) sold (about 5000 copies twice a month) which
means 10 000 a month or 120 000 a year. We have already got
technology and a computer for preparation (PC+laserjet+scaner).
By printing forms many items of paper confectionery we can make a
monthly income which could provide workers’ wages and supply
of paper and repro-material (offset panels, colours, chemical...).
4) We need better technical equipment , but first we must realise
following tasks: business offices, repetitor, mini-printing shop,
DPI-BiH. Although we need badly a better studio, better PC and
network equipment, furniture, a car, a walky-talky, etc., our aim
is to use an eventual help (here we mean financial help) from
well-intended people to invest in our fundamental assignments.
At this moment we need:
-In the studio of Radio Bajina Basta: a professional tape
recorder (TASCAM) with electronic start control, two professional turntables
(gramophones) (TECHNICS SL1210 MK2), two professional
reporter’s cassette players (SONY WMD6C), a compressor-limiter,
a walkie-talkie, radio stations (3 or 4 pcs Motorola), a cassette
deck (SONY or TASCAM) with electronic start control, a
transmitter link (for reporting directly from the field from the spot)
Note: We mentioned above the names of the high-quality equipment
any other equipment bought in Yugoslavia is very bad and it is
out of order in the period of 2-6 months. In the case that same potential
helpers and supporters to our Project could find some cheaper
versions with the same quality, we would be grateful and
appreciate that.
- In editorial office of newspapers "Bajinobastanske
novine", and "Argus": a reporter dictaphone, a PC
for connecting E-mail and other networks and for operating in
Word 6 and similar programmes; a photocopying machine, a photo
camera with flesh and the 200 m camera lens 35mm-120mm.
Note: We need all the items we mentioned above . Since our work
is very hard and under almost impossible conditions, the above
mentioned equipment would be of great and essential help for us.
IV PROJECT ACTIVITIES:
If we want to realise the above mentioned ideas, we must make
a great effort and work hard. Although we will not be able realise
every single item of the Plan, we think that great deal could be
done.
1) At the moment we are working on obtaining work permissions,
administrative, building, city planning and sanitary permits. It
is a very hard work and also very complicated and expensive, but
we have got promises from great number of local sponsors and
donators.
The funds which we need (about 120 000 DM), we plan to obtain a
part of it in building material (such as sand, concre-cement,
lime...) and is about 250% of all investments. The other part of the
funds we must ask from local and foreign friends and sponsors.
That means we need about 90 000 DM (at this moment) to finish the
refurbishment of our business offices.
2) To realise the Project concerning the extension of audibility
area, we need about 20 000 DM. We have got some promises here to
get some material and an electric wire. But, due to a very bad
economic situation in our country and some blackmail and pressure
from the government, the local sponsors and helpers are very
unreliable at the moment. Anyway, we are sure we can get about 7
000 DM in that way .
3) For obtaining a mini-printing shop, we have tried to animate
our Association of local independent newspapers - Local press -
but we failed. The costs of a mini-printing shop are about 30 000
DM. Some editorial offices such as ours could use one such
printing shop for printing and publishing several neighbouring
newspapers. For such project about 600 000 DM would have to be
invested in Serbia and Montenegro. It would be great way of
self-informing and economic independence. But, bigger editorial
offices (Vreme, Nasa Borba, Nezavisna Svtlost) did not agree with
our suggestion. They insist on a large rotating printing press
for "Nasa Borba" newspaper and they also insist on a
colour sheet printing press for the magazine "Vreme", where
the other local newspapers could be printed. Our editorial
office, as well as 70 % of others, refused that suggestion.
Anyway, we have had some discussions with the SOROS Foundation in
Prague (Miss Gordana Jankovic) and also with the Open loan media (Mr
Sasa Vucinic) and this idea is now familiar to them. They are for
this Project to be made and then to decide how to obtain the
funds for its realisation. Together with some other editorial
offices, we will try from the SOROS or the Loan media to get the
money we need for this Project and we hope that we can solve this
problem at least partially, and get the mini-printing shop.
4) For acquisition of the equipment and the following inventory,
we are expecting some help which Foreign and Commonwealth offices
from London Have sent to us. They two professional cassette decks
(SONY), two record players (TASCAM 1012 ) and a compressor
limited. We are trying to make out the idea of getting the other
equipment units that we need.
The most difficult problem is that one can not plan or do
anything in a normal and usual way, because economical, political and
social systems do not function normally. The only thing we can do
here is to make plans. That is difficult for people from other
countries to understand but that’s the way we live here.
V EVALUATION PLAN
Last winter we felt need for an adequate evaluation of our
activities. During the war we were doing our job according to informal
methods. Now we see the need for following and estimating our
activities systematically. In that sense we have made some talks
with Belgrade research agency "Medium" and its director
Mr Srbobran Brankovic. Our colleagues from Radio B92 from Belgrade,
recommended the agency to us. We are going to make an agreement
with the agency constant supervising of all our activities on the
field. So, we expect reports about our progress. The results of
their research should be useful to us so we can create our
programmes, editorial and business policy in the right way and to
our sponsors they will show if we spend the money they gave us
properly or not. The research and the reports will be send once a
year to all our sponsors from our country, as well as from
abroad. The problem is, as usual, that we do not have enough as
usual money to pay the Agency, but we hope we will start this job
by July this year.
Concerning the spending of the funds we get from our sponsors,
helpers and supporters, we used to spend the funds on the activities
we have asked the money for, so far. After finishing the activities
and jobs or buying the equipment, we write the report and enclose
original bills and invoices. Due date for selling the Report is
10 days from the finishing of work which had been financed or
from the buying the equipment. We, of course, intend to continue
that praxis in Future.
VI ORGANISATIONAL BACKGROUND (and working conditions)
Our firm consists of:
1) Radio Bajina Basta
2) "Bajinobastanske novine" newspaper and Editorial
activity
3) Accounting service
4) Audio-video club "Limier"
There are 10 full time employed people:
- Editor-in-chief
- the radio programme editor
- the informative programme editor
- the cultural programme editor
- two journalists
- an announcer - master of ceremonies on radio programme
- a technical editor
- two sound masters
There are 5 people working part time trough a youth employing
service:
- two night porters
- a cleaning woman (who is courier and coffee cook at the same
time)
- a journalist announcer
- a music editor
There are 8 contributors to the Radio and the Newspaper (they are
part time employees):
- three sound masters
- a journalist for sport column/programme
- a journalist for music column/programme
- two radio announces
- a journalist - the author of agricultural programme
There is just one full-time employee in the newspaper
"Bajinobastanske novine" at the same time, and there
are 9 part time employees :
-An editor-in-chief of "Argus"
-a photo-reporter
-an editor of the Editorial activities and an Collection called
"Bastina"
There is one full-time employee in the accounting service, who is
the chief accountant. She takes care of obtaining the office material,
administration, PTT expenses, petrol supplies, magazine and newspaper
subscriptions, paying the bills, finances, etc.
There are two full-time employees in the audio-video club
"Limier". They sell the newspapers, cassettes,
magazines, they rent video cassettes, LP records, CDs, etc.
All contributors and part-time workers get their salaries
irregularly. Marketing and financial conditions are terrible.
Today we can not earn money for clearing the salaries and
expenses. So, we can only rely on the help from foreign
supporters and donators. The firm provides only salaries for the
full-time employees including the sum for taxes. Our contributors
mostly find local sponsors for themselves. We have been going
through special financial crisis for two years now, so that our
full-time employees get their salaries even 2-3 months later.
We talked about our business offices in the previous parts of the
Project. To summarise: now we are in very small and inadequate
rented premises which we pay every month. We are also in the middle
of refurbishment of our own business which will be comfortable,
functional and adequate. We are expecting some help without which
our Project can be finished. The equipment works somehow and we
manage to get a minimal service and maintenance. Because of
everyday renewal and wearing out we need regular service and
supplement.
Purchasing of consumable and office material function as
compensation: we advertise the sellers of those materials and
they give us the goods we need. Anyway, there are needs which we
can not compensate but pay as business letters, letterheads, invoices,
etc. (We could save those forms if we got better computer
equipment and mini printing shop we already mentioned).
We have an immersion that it was easier to work during the war.
First, the pressure was less visible and not so often as today, because
the extreme protagonist of the government and opposition were
engaged with "the war thing". They concentrated their
power and strength towards Bosnia, Croatia and the war plans and
strategies and they less worried about "home business".
Now, independent media are "the problem number one".
Knowing the fact that the authority crushed the normal opposition,
they also want to crush anything that is normal, for instance the
independent media. We have some promises from the competent
circles of international community that our work and activities
will be protected and supported. But, those are promises!
Together with big state pressure , we have got trouble makers -
small extreme groups gathered around those who were inspires of
the war, xenophobia, intolerance, genocide and robbery in Bosnia.
There were a lot of unpleasant scenes here in our radio: armed
soldiers of so-called military formation rushed in our studio; there
were often treat to our journalists and workers, they switched
the electricity off at our premises there were several shootings
in front of our studio, wiretapping of all private and official
telephone conversations, the state security followed our employees,
they wanted us to cooperate with them and spy for them,
mobilisation of our employees and collaborators, taking over the
name of our firm from the local regime TV station, making lies
about our activities, a special psychological war, trying to
seize the work permits, trying to recruit our journalists to work
for the state media, sending the financial police to control us and
anybody whom we advertise... We have accurate and precise records
of all those treats (time, place, perpetrators, circumstances and
consequences.
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