Media Study - Medija centar Beograd

3 RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LOCAL ▪ MUNICIPAL ▪ REGIONAL BROADCASTING
3.1.1 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REGIONAL BROADCASTING IN SERBIA
Background
With the switch from analogue to digital broadcasting the regions will become the most de-centralised entities in
Serbia. The broadcasting regions can be defined as the present or planned 4-6 statistical regions or the number of
regions can be similar in size to those in Austria or Scandinavia, resulting in 10 to 15 broadcasting regions in Serbia.
With the international trend of bi-media production it will be logic to integrate regional radio and TV broadcasting
in the same entity.
In accordance with Council of Europe resolution 1636 (2008) Indicators for Media in a Democracy and living up to
European standards and best practices in the selected Member States the existing municipal broadcasters would
need to be transferred from municipal ownership. To ensure sustainability and editorial integrity a suitable model
would be independent public service broadcasters as independent legal entities. Instead of broadcasting a full 12-
24 hours programme schedule with very low ratings and share of viewing outside key news programmes the
regional broadcasters should enter into agreement with RTS to broadcast simultaneously in each region as
windows in the national programming. By broadcasting regional news and other attractive content the regional
programmes will attract audience to the national channel and vice versa. The regional broadcasters could further
enter into agreement with RTS on delivering special programmes for national broadcasting.
Regional broadcasting is within EU considered as public service and could be covered through media fees collected
in a similar fashion as it is done for RTS. The rules on advertisements applied to public service broadcasting should
also be applied to regional broadcasting. The license fees for regional broadcasting and production could be added
to the current budgeted license fees for RTS of 100 million euro. The expenses for regional broadcasting and
regional production for the national programme are estimated to an additional 10% in license fees and in addition
commercial revenue according to the present rules for public serve broadcasting. A detailed economic analysis of
the actual broadcasters concerned should however establish the exact figure that is needed.
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