edition-dw-akademie-in-the-service-of-the-public-functions-and-transformation-of-media-in-developing-countries-pdf

Lessons Learned? – Transformations Since the 1990sIn the 1990s a large number of transformation initiativeswere started in the former socialist countries in Europe.Hrvatin studies the case of Slovenia and compares it to othercountries. 27 She describes how formerly state-owned mediain Central and Eastern Europe were transformed to PSB onlyformally and “practically overnight.” Her general conclusion isthat public broadcasters in former socialist countries are in astate of crisis. The elements of this crisis “range from haphazardmedia legislation, political pressures, financial and organizationaldifficulties, and management crisis to identity crisisand loss of public support.” 28 But at the same time she pleadsfor individual treatment: Each transformed broadcaster hasits own history, its own problems and will need its own solution.Jakubowicz analyzes the very first transformation processeswhich took place in Central and Eastern European countriesduring the 1990s. 29 His results shed light on what went wrongin these countries and why. From his long catalogue of reasons,which seems to be valid for other unsuccessful transformationprocesses, too, there is one major reason that standsout: The PSB models were implemented in completely differentcultural and social environments from the organizationsthey originated with, and were implemented without strongsupport from the country itself. The problems that Jakubowiczdescribes can be categorized into two types: 30Problems caused by internal reasons:Traditional and badly designed organizational andmanagement structures, involving many collectivebodies divided along party lines, incapable of fast decision-makingand mainly concentrating on blockingeach other’s actions;Heavy political control, resulting from the politicizationof the process of appointing governing authorities,turning former state radio and television into ‘parliamentary’rather than public broadcasters, or indeedamounting to its ‘re-nationalization’;Frequent management and leadership crises andchanges of top management, resulting from politicalinterference.Problems caused by external reasons:Lack of funds and programming know-how requiredto compete with commercial broadcasters, sometimescoupled with exaggerated insistence on non-commercialismwhich additionally weakens those stations;Self-censorship of journalists and program-makerswho can expect little protection from their superiorswhen they run afoul of politicians or some influentialorganization;Lack of social embedment of the idea of public servicebroadcasting;Lack of a social constituency willing and able to supportpublic service broadcasters and buttress their autonomyand independence.Jakubowicz speaks of a process of ‘transformation by imitation’not only on the political level but also on the social leveland – most importantly for our context – in the media sector. 31He stresses that it would be wrong to see these enormous difficultiesas mere teething problems. The state-owned broadcasterswould have needed long-term help from internationalmedia aid for the transformation into public broadcasters; infact, Jakubowicz questions whether such an extraordinary engagementwas ever provided by the international actors.Equally sobering are the evaluation results, undertakenby the United Nations Development Programme, 32 of theefforts to support PSB in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Besidesnotable achievements (improved legislative framework, independentregulatory system and co-existence of commercialand public service broadcasting), the organization alsoidentifies numerous challenges involving the external mediadevelopment agents:Lack of coordination among the key players.Lack of the right expertise in media development.“Several local media actors have said that the situationwas made worse by the fact that the international consultantswere not experts: They had media credentials butlacked the experience involving the transition from a statebroadcaster to a public service broadcasting system.” 33Limited focus on management capacity development.Too much emphasis was placed on training journalists,with insufficient guidance for managers on how to runtheir media outlets on a sustainable basis.Donor dependency and (un)sustainability. “Such dependencyseems to have been created by a limitedappreciation of the need to focus on strengthening financialself-sustainability at the outset of media/broadcastingprojects.” 34Limited consultation with local stakeholders leadingto lack of ownership. “Several of the programs supportedby the international community have been criticizedfor not being sufficiently informed by local expertise14