Media Study - Medija centar Beograd

2.6.3.2 MUNICIPAL MEDIA PUBLIC SUPPORT
Municipal media are listed explicitly in the municipal budget. The allocations are approved by the municipal
government on the basis of a programming scheme and a business and marketing plan. This funding can be
supplemented by grants allocations or subsidies from the Ministry of Culture.
2.6.3.3 SUPPORT TO MEDIA BROADCASTING IN MINORITY LANGUAGES
National Minority Councils have the right to establish their own media 57 in accordance with Article 19 of the law on
National Councils of National Minorities. According to the Information Department of the Government of Vojvodina
Province politicians are members and strongly influencing the activities of the National Councils. The National
Councils of National Minorities in Vojvodina receive money for media support from the budget of the Government
of Vojvodina at a level, which according to the Information Department only makes the minority media survive
without being in competition with other print media in Serbia.
Media established and operating outside of the Vojvodina Province are supported directly by the Ministry of
Culture which is described later in more detail.
2.6.3.4 GRANTS ALLOCATIONS AND SUBSIDIES BY THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE
Means originating directly from the state budget, allocated from the Ministry of Culture chapter, are distributed to
all types of media according to the standard rules for state budgetary spending.
The plan of grants allocations and subsidies is worked out by the ministerial experts and officials, adopted by the
minister, and finally approved by the government.
2.6.3.5 STATE PRESS AGENCY TANJUG
TANJUG represents a complex problem on its own. It has a long term debt from the past, which is gradually paid
back by the top management and ministerial funding. Small privately owned news agencies consider TANJUG a
monopoly market dominator, abusing state subsidies to achieve an unfair position in the market.
2.6.3.6 DUAL SYSTEM
The model of licenses fee combined with commercial revenues – called dual financing – is common for public
service broadcasters in Europe, but highly controversial among commercial broadcasters and discussed intensely at
the EU level, mostly with respect to state aid rules 58 .
Considering the limited size of the Serbian media market and the current problems with the collection of license
fees it does not seem to be feasible to abolish advertizing revenues for public service broadcasting. This “second
pillar” of financing actually contributes to the political independence of public service media.
The Serbian legislation introduced after the transformation of the state national TV and radio broadcaster to a
public service broadcaster financed basically by the license fee paid directly by the citizens, is similar to general
57 Article 19
The National Council itself or in co-operation with another legal personality may establish in line with law institutions and business organisations
for the purpose of exercising newspaper-publishing and radio-television broadcasting activities, printing and reproducing of the recorded media,
and shall have rights and obligations of the founder.
Article 21
The National Council shall: 3) Give a suggestion regarding distribution of resources which are through open calls allocated from the budget of
the Republic, autonomous province or local self-government unit to legal or physical persons performing broadcasting activities in a national
minority language.
58 Respective CoE Recommendations and AC, relevant EU jurisprudence.
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