Media Study - Medija centar Beograd

SWOT Recommendation 1
Strength Editorial independence, strong viewership, programme quality, sustainable
financing, efficient use of resources, better integration of regional programming
at national TV and radio
Weakness Complex start up
Opportunity Switch to digital television broadcasting closes down the municipal level and a
change should happen anyway
Threat RTS might not be interested, regional broadcasters might prefer transmitting 24
hours
3.1.2 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LOCAL TV AND RADIO
Background
Local civil sector broadcasters in Serbia generally survive from sponsorships, sponsored programme production,
payment for phone-ins or music wishes etc. Eventually also user fees is a possibility. Volunteers and civil society
organisations are important elements.
With the switch to digital terrestrial broadcasting the anticipated broadcast regions will be the nearest possibility
for local terrestrial broadcasting. The television stations will therefore either have to close down or jointly apply for
a regional frequency.
As the situation is now local radio will be able to continue on their analogue frequencies, or alternatively begin
distributing their programmes via local cable nets or via the internet on which also TV-programmes can be
distributed.
The localized programmes are important for local democracy and civil society, but broadcasting in a full 12-24
hours programme schedule at local level is not an efficient use of resources and does not result in a desirable level
of programme quality. While broadcasting at regional level gives access to a must larger audience it is also
important for the local profile to have easily recognizable news programmes from each of the participating local
media. However, the majority of programming on a regional frequency would by nature be of a higher quality than
today because of collaboration on programme production, and provision of much fewer programme hours per
broadcaster.
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