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06. 11. 2013

MEDIA SCENE SHADOWED BY POLITICS AND TYCOONS

Belgrade, November 6, 2013 (Pregled) - Media scene in Serbia is exposed to pressures of politicians, ownership is not transparent, while social and economic situation of media professionals is very bad, it was a general conclusion of the participants in the debate "Who are the owners of media in Serbia", organized yesterday by the Union of Serbian Journalists.

According to the assessment of the professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences and former president of the Anti-Corrutpion Agency Cedomir Cupic, journalists are not adequately organized, the majority of them is degradingly underpaid, while the "fear of losing job and fear for survival is at the highest level".

Cupic also believes the key solution in directing application of the set of media laws should be higher level of transparency of ownership in media.

"It is of utmost importance to know who owns the media, their full names, since they are often hidden behind associated and formal companies. The origin of their assets needs to be thoroughly checked as well. The owners should not interfere much in the editorial policy of a media, advertising rules need to be set, stringent punishments need to be introduced for practicing sensationalistic journalism and protection of sources of information intensified.

Professor Boban Tomic said journalists' and media associations should find the way to agree with authorities on the manner in which the media space would be regulated, in order to stop the privatization that was destructive for most media in almost 160 municipalities.

Tomic suggested forming of an expert team of economists, sociologists, politicologists and other professions to propose new strategy in the area of information.

Participants of the debate called on the government, competent ministry, Anti-Corruption Council, as well as international organizations OSCE Mission to Serbia, EU Delegation to Serbia and others, to take more seriously the issues of democratization, financing and effective functioning of media.