Media Study - Medija centar Beograd

2.2.4 STAKEHOLDER BACKGROUND
The interviews conducted in connection with this study reveal that the vast majority of the broadcasts by local
media base their economy on phone-ins, sponsored music wishes, sponsored programmes and similar sources of
income. Commercial local broadcasters have a few local advertisements, and sponsorships. An informal network of
local broadcasters has exchanged programmes with each other and other privately founded radio and TV stations
have gradually spread their coverage to more than one municipality. However, the professionalism is generally
perceived to have potential for improvement.
Regional broadcasters founded by at least 2 municipal assemblies according to Broadcasting Law, 18 th of July 2002,
§96 have a slightly better economy. So has the broadcasters predominantly owned by municipalities and run as
public companies in accordance with Article 96 of the Broadcasting Law. Generally they have been perceived by our
interviewees as the most professional ones, covering local news, culture, debate, minority issues and other
programmes of public interest. They follow the rules on public broadcasting with respect to programme
obligations, restricted advertisement etc., but their management structure is dependent on the municipal
government. In some cases the municipal media are said to be under direct editorial influence by the local
government.
One of the remaining municipal broadcasters NIŠ TV has its director appointed by the Municipal Assembly and its
editor-in-chief appointed by the steering committee, whose members reflects the majority in the Municipal
Assembly. It has a staff of 94 persons and an annual budget of 600.000-700.000 euro, out of which 45% are granted
by the municipality through its call for project proposals. The remainder of the money comes from advertisement.
The economy makes it obvious that too many local broadcasters in a small market will not be able to deliver
programmes contributing to the development of civil society and democracy at local level. From a programme
perspective it is irrational to have hundreds of broadcasters on their own frequencies broadcast for a full day or
even 24 hours of programmes. Hardly any listeners or viewers will stay on such channels throughout the day but
will seek information, education and entertainment from national broadcasters of a higher quality.
Local audience surveys as for Kragujevac Radio and TV show distinct differences in audience viewing. It peaks
during the local news and special programmes and almost fades away between these peaks. The broadcaster
(including website) has 97 employees and a budget of roughly 860.000 euro out of which 60 % is income from the
municipality.
A strong financial and structural dependence on municipal assemblies and governments however works against
safeguarding the editorial independence of the individual local broadcasters.
The right of the City Council of the Capital City Belgrade to set up local media is specifically addressed in Article 8 in
the Law on the Capital City. It is arguable that this provision addresses a more specific situation (media, in particular
broadcasting set up by the Capital City Council) as opposed to the provisions under the Broadcasting Law which
addresses local and regional media in general. Thus, the Law on the Capital City might have the effect that
electronic media established by the City Council of Belgrade are not subject to the privatization requirement.
According to European continental legal doctrine, the more specific law (e.g. the Law on the Capital City)
supersedes the more general law. Moreover, Article 96 subsection 10 which specifies which electronic media must
be privatized does not explicitly refer to the media set up by the City Council of the Capital City. It is equally unclear
which status the media set up by the Belgrade City Council should have as they are mentioned in the same
13