14. 12. 2012

Media Coalition: Disturbing Decision of Local Authorities in Ljig

Belgrade, December 14, 2012 - Media Coalition is strongly protesting the decision of the Municipal Council in Ljig to initiate, at the initiative of the Mayor, the procedure for the establishment of the public company for Information and marketing "TV Ljig". This decision is not only in conflict with the Media Strategy and announcements of the Ministry of Culture and Media that the state will quickly withdraw from ownership in media, but is also contrary to the the Proposed Law on Public Companies, which is in parliamentary procedure and which does not provide for the establishment of new public companies for information.

The Coalition reminds that it had already reacted to the similar announcements that came from Becej ten days ago, and that it had, with the support of international organizations, contributed to the elimination of the possibility to establish public companies for information from the Proposed Law on Public Companies. The question now is whether the representatives of the Ljig Municipality are using legal capacity to establish municipal television station in interregnum period, or they are just being uninformed?

The Coalition also reminds that, under the Strategy, the founder of the media cannot be, directly or indirectly, the state, territorial autonomy, local self-government, an institution, company or other legal entity that is wholly or partially owned by the state, or that is, predominantly or in whole, funded from public resources. The authorities, the media community and international organizations have long and hard worked together on the development of the Media Strategy, with the participation of the public.

Media Coalition has warned for years that the state has, by being an owner of media, brought the majority of Serbian media in an unfaborable position. Local media operating as public companies not only constitute unfair competition, but also threaten media freedom with their privileged position.

A research on local media funding, conducted by the Media Coalition in the course of this year, indicates that the media that are operating as public companies, namely those media founded by local self-government, are absolutely privileged when it comes to funding from local budgets. This threatens the survival of other media in the local market. The research has shown that local self-governments are generally arbitrary and non-transparently spending public money to support only selected media, outside public and measurable criteria and procedures, which has caused serious financial problems to "unsuitable media" and unfair competition.

Members of the Media Coalition are: ANEM, NUNS, UNS, NDNV and Local Press.