Media Task Force
Progress and problems for the media in South Eastern Europe
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Still from the documentary Bride With No Gold, about a traditional wedding fair in South Serbia. The documentary was shot summer 2003 by the Belgrade based company Advance with support received through the Media Task Force.
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The media landscape in South Eastern Europe today is significantly better than, say, ten years ago. At that time, state dominated broadcasters disseminated biased and inciting information. The main newspapers were owned and controlled by the government. Distribution was monopolized by state-owned firms. Journalists excelled more in obedience than in inquisitiveness and free-press interest groups were a marginal phenomenon.
Today, competition is fierce and diversity is abundant. All countries in South Eastern Europe have commercial television stations, both nationally and locally, providing news and entertainment. The number of radio stations mushroomed, particularly on a local and regional level. New newspapers were founded, although more rapidly than the market could digest. Internet penetration is rising quickly. Many journalists have received (internationally sponsored) journalism training. And foundations for press freedom speak out against attacks and misdemeanors.
There are, however, still numerous serious problems. Many outlets have difficulties to survive, due to the generally small potential audience, low purchasing power of the population and limited advertising market. The weak financial position of media outlets touches upon their editorial independence, particularly because the media markets are regularly dominated by wealthy sponsors with a political interest.
The weak financial position of media outlets impacts on
quality and editorial independence
Limited income also impacts on quality. There is little time and money for investigative journalism in the press. Domestic television productions with somewhat less commercial appeal – documentaries, drama, reportages – are hard to finance for broadcasters. Salaries for journalists are generally low, hence talented people leave the profession and the institutional capacity remains low or diminishes further.
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Beta news agency struggled to survive for many years, but has now developed into a respected regional news agency, among others with the support received through the Media Task Force. |
In addition, most countries still need to align media legislation to European standards and improve implementation. The transformation of state broadcasters is a slow and difficult process and has yet to be completed in most countries. Regulatory bodies are not yet stable, independent and respected institutions. Granting broadcast licenses has not yet become a fair and transparent process. Access to information exists on paper, but is restricted in reality. And journalists are too frequently sued for defamation and made to pay high fines, which leads to self-censorship.
Assisting Media by forging co-operation and funding projects
To ensure continuous feedback from local professionals, the Media Task Force works closely with groups of local media experts in SEE.
To date, Media Working Groups have been established in Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Macedonia, Moldova, Albania and Montenegro. Most are comprised of media professionals, members of the civil society and governmental representatives. In some cases, participation of the state-owned media and local authorities is limited.
Together with these groups, the MTF generates carefully selected projects and proposes these for funding. Through the Media Working Groups, the MTF also works with governmental authorities in SEE to take necessary measures for reform.
Beginning 2002, a first round of projects has been reviewed by local experts and the secretariat of the Media Task Force. Eventually, 13 projects were recommended for international support. Of these, 11 have been funded with a total amount of over €3 million. Additionally, nine projects are implemented upon the direct suggestion of the Media Working Groups. These projects all address legal and regulatory issues. Examples include a broadcasting frequency map for Albania, an access to information law in Montenegro and contractual rights for journalists in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Examples of projects include a broadcast law in Macedonia
and an Access to Information law in Montenegro
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| May 2002. Graduates of the Media Plan University in Sarajevo, which offers a one-year MA in journalism to students from South Eastern Europe. The initiative receives support through the Media Task Force |
Beginning 2003, 20 new projects were proposed to international donors after consultations with working groups and reviews done by the Media Task Force. Most of these projects have now received support through the Media Task Force and implementation has started mid-2003. Examples of these new activities include media legislation reform in Montenegro, access to information in various countries, the production of a variety of programmes and documentaries, local training courses for journalists and support for covering corruption and organised crime issues.
The Media Task Force executive secretary is regularly consulted by MFA’s on a variety of issues: (bilateral) support to media development, requests for background notes on media related issues or feedback on running projects. For example, the Media Task Force cooperated closely with the German Foreign Ministry in the selection of media assistance activities.
Activities to foster media diversity, professionalism and independence
End 2002, the Media Task Force presented achievables in three areas: media legislation, television production and local journalism training. Activities in these areas are outlined first, followed by other actions of the Media Task Force.
Media legislation
Besides creating optimal conditions for the media, another motive to work on media legislation is to assist SEE countries in meeting political conditions linked to the Copenhagen criteria. Hence, work in this area focuses on aligning media legislation to European standards.
The following three areas are of specific importance: broadcast legislation (independent regulatory bodies, public broadcasting, fair competition), defamation laws (no excessive fines, burden of proof with claimant, defamation not in penal code) and implementation of Access to Information laws, to achieve greater transparency and expose corruption.
Various local organizations research media regulation,
monitor its implementation and draft new legislation
MTF projects are currently being carried out in nine countries with a variety of partners. Several local organizations work on research, monitoring of implementation and drafting legislation. Examples include the Media Legal Support Group in Bulgaria, the Access Foundation in Moldova, the Media Development Centre in Macedonia and UNEM in Montenegro. In addition, the Council of Europe conducts a broad range of related activities in the framework of its Stability Pact programme. Article19 coordinates work on defamation and Access to Information with support received through the MTF.
Results are overall positive, but some problems should also be noted. On the positive side: In Montenegro, work is continuing (with CoE/EAR and MTF support) to implement three new media laws and an Access to Information law has been drafted. Changes were made to the penal code in Romania. Several new and improved laws have recently been adopted in Croatia. A new broadcast law in Macedonia, initiated by and developed with the help of the Media Task Force, is expected.
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| Mrs Maud De Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, during the October 2002 regional conference on defamation organised by the Council of Europe in the framework of the Stability Pact program |
In Serbia, two new laws have recently been adopted (Telecommunications and Public Information) but the implementation of the broadcast law is stalled due to controversy over the regulatory body. And in Moldova, the legal framework has not ensured independence of the public broadcaster or the regulatory body.
A study carried out by the Media Task Force concluded that media legislation in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia is relatively advanced. Romania, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Albania all have laws that need some improvement or better implementation. The biggest changes however will have to be made in Moldova, Serbia and Macedonia.
Television production
Quality television production is of utmost importance for several reasons: the reach of television; the role sound programs can play in reconciliation, exposing corruption; changing the perception on minorities; the good possibilities for regional cooperation and the on-the-job training provided through the production of programs.
The trouble is, however, that quality television production is expensive. Hence the priority the MTF gives to supporting such programs.
The amount of assistance provided to production of quality television programs has greatly increased due to the involvement of the Media Task Force. Nine television productions and series have started shooting and more are to follow next year.
This is not just quantitatively a good result, but also qualitatively: the programs address trafficking and corruption (a series of 25 programs in Albania), reconciliation (a series of 6 episodes across the region), youth culture (a 50 minute film made in Slovenia and Serbia), social issues (10 episodes across the region) and the consequences for people being separated by the war (16 episodes across the region). In addition, the MTF has supported the cross-border exchange of television programs, to boost information and mutual understanding.
Television programs are made about youth culture, reconciliation,
corruption, social issues and the consequences of the war
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| May 2003. Still from a the production of Videoletters, a 16 episodes series in which people who were separated by the war get in touch by sending videotaped messages. The program received support through the Media Task Force and will be broadcast South Eastern Europe. |
The produced programs will be shown on national television channels across South Eastern Europe.
There will be two funds for television production, but not administered by the Media Task Force itself. Firstly, the EAR in Serbia will establish a fund, which will be administered by the Media Centre in Belgrade and the Media Task Force will be represented in the board. Secondly, after consultations with the Media Task Force, the EC will next year provide significant assistance to cross-border television productions.
Local journalism education
One of the goals of the MTF is to build strong local institutions in the field of journalism education. Support is therefore focused on institutions with a good track-record to fulfill this function. A recent overview of support to media in Southeast Europe, made by the Media Task Force, showed that an increasing amount of financial support for training now goes directly to such institutions.
All countries currently have journalism centers with professional trainers and adequate equipment. Several countries have two or three such institutions. The remaining problems lie in the sustainability of these centers (they don’t charge tuition fees and may not survive when international funding ends) and in the slow transformation of journalism faculties at the universities (they have long, theoretical curricula and do not teach practical skills).
Through the Media Task Force, various projects aimed at resolving this have received support (in Romania, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina) and many more activities take place outside the framework of the Stability Pact.
MTF projects include the training of teachers at journalism departments in SEE (conducted in Bucharest), support to the Media Plan College in Sarajevo, various locally organized courses to train trainers, support to journalism course for beginners and specialized courses on reporting corruption – conducted by Media Centers throughout the region.
Legal research
With the assistance of the USA, a research institute in Sarajevo produces monthly overviews on media legislation developments in the entire region. This research provides continuous input on the progress made in this field, while also highlighting the areas in which laws have to be improved. The research follows an inventory into the state of media legislation in SEE, prepared by the Media Task Force.
Coordination of media support
An overview of all support provided to the media has been made by the Media Task Force, with the help of all international donors. The detailed overview should help to prevent overlap and duplication, while pointing to areas in which support is needed.
Cooperation with international organizations
The Media Task Force works closely with MFA’s of SP-members, the Council of Europe, the European Commission, EuropeAid, Open Society Institute and various international NGO’s in the field of media (IREX ProMedia, Norwegian People’s Aid, Swedish Helsinki Committee, Press Now) to coordinate activities.
The Media Task Force is well on track to meet the achievables presented at the Regional Table of the Stability Pact in Thessaloniki, in December 2002. New media legislation – in line with European standards – has been adopted in several countries. Support for quality television production has significantly increased and many hours of programs are being produced due to the involvement of the Media Task Force. Furthermore, local journalism training institutes have become an intricate part of the media landscape in South Eastern Europe.
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