Activities to foster media diversity, professionalism and independence
End
2002, the Media Task Force presented achievables in three areas:
media legislation, television production and local journalism
training. Activities in these areas are outlined first, followed
by other actions of the Media Task Force.
Media
legislation
Besides
creating optimal conditions for the media, another motive to work
on media legislation is to assist SEE countries in meeting political
conditions linked to the Copenhagen criteria. Hence, work in this
area focuses on aligning media legislation to European standards.
The
following three areas are of specific importance: broadcast legislation
(independent regulatory bodies, public broadcasting, fair competition),
defamation laws (no excessive fines, burden of proof with claimant,
defamation not in penal code) and implementation of Access to
Information laws, to achieve greater transparency and expose corruption.
Various local organizations research
media regulation,
monitor its implementation and draft new legislation
MTF
projects are currently being carried out in nine countries with
a variety of partners. Several local organizations work on research,
monitoring of implementation and drafting legislation. Examples
include the Media Legal Support Group in Bulgaria, the Access
Foundation in Moldova, the Media Development Centre in Macedonia
and UNEM in Montenegro. In addition, the Council of Europe conducts
a broad range of related activities in the framework of its Stability
Pact programme. Article19 coordinates work on defamation and Access
to Information with support received through the MTF.
Results
are overall positive, but some problems should also be noted.
On the positive side: In Montenegro, work is continuing (with
CoE/EAR and MTF support) to implement three new media laws and
an Access to Information law has been drafted. Changes were made
to the penal code in Romania. Several new and improved laws have
recently been adopted in Croatia. A new broadcast law in Macedonia,
initiated by and developed with the help of the Media Task Force,
is expected.
|
| Mrs
Maud De Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the Council
of Europe, during the October 2002 regional conference on
defamation organised by the Council of Europe in the framework
of the Stability Pact program |
In Serbia, two new laws have recently been
adopted (Telecommunications and Public Information) but the implementation
of the broadcast law is stalled due to controversy over the regulatory
body. And in Moldova, the legal framework has not ensured independence
of the public broadcaster or the regulatory body.
A study carried out by the Media Task Force concluded that media
legislation in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia is relatively advanced.
Romania, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Albania all have laws that need
some improvement or better implementation. The biggest changes
however will have to be made in Moldova, Serbia and Macedonia.
Television
production
Quality
television production is of utmost importance for several reasons:
the reach of television; the role sound programs can play in reconciliation,
exposing corruption; changing the perception on minorities; the
good possibilities for regional cooperation and the on-the-job
training provided through the production of programs.
The
trouble is, however, that quality television production is expensive.
Hence the priority the MTF gives to supporting such programs.
The
amount of assistance provided to production of quality television
programs has greatly increased due to the involvement of the Media
Task Force. Nine television productions and series have started
shooting and more are to follow next year.
This
is not just quantitatively a good result, but also qualitatively:
the programs address trafficking and corruption (a series of 25
programs in Albania), reconciliation (a series of 6 episodes across
the region), youth culture (a 50 minute film made in Slovenia
and Serbia), social issues (10 episodes across the region) and
the consequences for people being separated by the war (16 episodes
across the region). In addition, the MTF has supported the cross-border
exchange of television programs, to boost information and mutual
understanding.
Television programs are made about youth
culture, reconciliation,
corruption, social issues and the consequences of the war
|
| May
2003. Still from a the production of Videoletters, a 16 episodes
series in which people who were separated by the war get in
touch by sending videotaped messages. The program received
support through the Media Task Force and will be broadcast
South Eastern Europe. |
The produced programs will be shown on national television channels
across South Eastern Europe.
There will be two funds for television production, but not administered
by the Media Task Force itself. Firstly, the EAR in Serbia will
establish a fund, which will be administered by the Media Centre
in Belgrade and the Media Task Force will be represented in the
board. Secondly, after consultations with the Media Task Force,
the EC will next year provide significant assistance to cross-border
television productions.
Local
journalism education
One
of the goals of the MTF is to build strong local institutions
in the field of journalism education. Support is therefore focused
on institutions with a good track-record to fulfill this function.
A recent overview of support to media in Southeast Europe, made
by the Media Task Force, showed that an increasing amount of financial
support for training now goes directly to such institutions.
All
countries currently have journalism centers with professional
trainers and adequate equipment. Several countries have two or
three such institutions. The remaining problems lie in the sustainability
of these centers (they don’t charge tuition fees and may
not survive when international funding ends) and in the slow transformation
of journalism faculties at the universities (they have long, theoretical
curricula and do not teach practical skills).
Through
the Media Task Force, various projects aimed at resolving this
have received support (in Romania, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina)
and many more activities take place outside the framework of the
Stability Pact.
MTF
projects include the training of teachers at journalism departments
in SEE (conducted in Bucharest), support to the Media Plan College
in Sarajevo, various locally organized courses to train trainers,
support to journalism course for beginners and specialized courses
on reporting corruption - conducted by Media Centers throughout
the region.
Legal
research
With
the assistance of the USA, a research institute in Sarajevo will
soon start providing monthly overviews on media legislation developments
in the entire region. This research should provide continuous
input on the progress made in this field, while also highlighting
the areas in which laws have to be improved. The research follows
an inventory into the state of media legislation in SEE, prepared
by the Media Task Force.
Coordination
of media support
An
overview of all support provided to the media has been made by
the Media Task Force, with the help of all international donors.
The detailed overview should help to prevent overlap and duplication,
while pointing to areas in which support is needed.
Cooperation
with international organizations
The
Media Task Force works closely with MFA’s of SP-members,
the Council of Europe, the European Commission, EuropeAid, Open
Society Institute and various international NGO’s in the
field of media (IREX ProMedia, Norwegian People’s Aid, Swedish
Helsinki Committee, Press Now) to coordinate activities.
Key
Contact:
Mr. Yasha Lange
Executive Secretary, Media Task Force
Tel: +31 20 596 2020
Fax: +31 20 596 2001
Email: yasha.lange@stabilitypact.org |
Read
more on the Media Task Force:
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