After 8 years of successful involvement in the field of media reform, the Media Task Force phased out at the end of 2006. The political decision to close the Media TF was reached at the Bucharest Regional Table (15 November 2006). While several other bodies will continue to address media issues in the region, Bucharest RT concluded that Media reform is an area where further impact from the regional level as opposed to the national level is limited.

The Media Task Force: supporting legislation, production and training

The development of independent and professional media has been one of the six core objectives of the Stability Pact since December 2002. Through the Media Task Force, the Stability Pact provides a forum of coordination between all key actors active in the democratisation of South East Europe’s media systems.

Within the Media Task Force, the executive secretary and a network of nine National Working Groups determine priorities and coordinate action with the European Commission, the Council of Europe, various donor governments, as well as the main international NGOs working in media development. The Task Force also coordinates action with the SEE Ministries of Foreign Affairs.

Since 1999, 35 projects have received funding as a direct result of cooperation under the MTF umbrella. Examples include legal assistance for a new broadcasting law in FYR Macedonia; the production of regionally broadcast television programmes and documentaries about reconciliation and corruption; support to a regional journalism university in Sarajevo, and local journalism courses on reporting about organised crime.

Read more about the Media Task Force

Documents

• CALL FOR PAPERS
  GENDER STEREOTYPES IN MEDIA:
  REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN PRINT MEDIA IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE MEDIACENTAR SARAJEVO

• Media Task Force Report , Regional Table in Prague - 15 - 16 November 2005

• Media TF  Progress Report, Regional Table in Sofia - 17-19 May 2005

• SP Media Task Force supports:

  Videoletters [link to the web] 23 February 2005

• Support to Media in SEE, 
  Strategy Paper for 2005 - 2007 (updated on 10/05/2005)
• Overview of projects 2004 (updated on 10/05/2005)
• Media Legislation in SEE (updated 13/12/04)
• Media Legislation matrix (updated 13/12/04)
• Speech by Yasha Lange, Executive Secretary of the MTF at the Portoroz Meeting, 7 June 2004
• Progress Report, January-June 2004, presented at Portoroz, 7 June 2004
• Media in SEE (as of November 2003)
• Overview of support to the media in Southeast Europe in 2003 (updated 26/11/03)
• Progress report of the Media Task Force, submitted to the Regional Table in Cavtat May 2003
• Workplan for 2002/2003, outlining the priorities of the Media Task Force and the achievables for the coming year.
• Work Plan and Achievables 2002
• Strategy for Media Assistance in SEE 2001-2004
• Charter for Media Freedom