THE EXAMPLE OF RADIO B92

B92 will celebrate its tenth anniversary this year - as will the authoritarian regime of Slobodan Milosevic. The basic con-

cept of B92 was formulated through an analysis of past experience and in consideration of the needs of a society which is

yet to enter the process of democratisation. Thus B92's programming is based on the Universal Declaration of Human

Rights: simultaneously various freedoms and rights were exercised and there has been a constant struggle to ensure that

these principles are observed and honoured. Because of this a number of similar projects have been initiated both in the

media sphere and in the non-governmental sector. Avoiding the creation of its own monopolistic position, B92 has en-
couraged the development of local media and established a radio and television network presently consisting of 33 radio
and 17 television stations. The use of modern technologies, primarily the Internet, has enabled us to bypass government
censorship and bans (as in the case of B92 in 1996). Under the circumstances B92 was unable to function properly by op-
erating only as a broadcaster. Thus various departments have been developed, radio programming, video production,
music production and a cultural centre. B92 also established the first ISP (Internet Service Provider) in Yugoslavia, pre-
venting a state monopoly and providing Internet access for the independent media and NGOs. Thus it is necessary to pro-
duce authentic programming and then to establish the infrastructure through the met jighway (see the tables attached).

In order to ensure the success of this concept, it is necessary to implement the following projects.

- The establishment of the media network within the country through professional and technical cooperation, soli-
darity and self-defence activity (the struggle for general principles).

- The creation of a coalition of donors to systematically draw up independent media development projects and plans
for the long term, and to monitor and support their development.

- The creation of coalitions of international NGOs engaged in protecting the freedom of expression. (B92 has estab-
lished an international committee - Free 2000 - which is active in international defence campaigns, exerting pres-
sure on governments and international organisations.)

: The establishment of a coalition of international organisations (the conference held in December 1998 under the
auspices of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe and was decided to remain in continuous session).

MEDIA AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION

The media do not generate political, national or other conflicts: they are able to intensify them or to attempt to contribute
to their resolution, but journalists themselves have no decisive impact on either the deterioration or amelioration of such
situations. Radio B92, in addition to its professional practice, is also engaged in working on the theoretical foundations of
this issue. In collaboration with the European Institute for the Media, B92 has published a study, Writing Death - The Media
in Times of Conflict (Pisanje smrti - mediji u vremenima sukoba) by Dusan Reljic.

The first lesson in an international media intervention in the conflict-plagued regions says: support must be provided from

the beginning and in continuance. Dangerous tendencies like the "hate speech" and the authorities’ interference in the ac-

tivities of the independent print media must be taken as ominous signs of impending conflict" . There are no simple for-

mulae which could be applied to determine the potential of the media to actively engage in conflict resolution and the de-

mocratisation process. This must consist of a combination of activities:

- the above support should be provided from the very beginning, and continuously (not intermittently and too late - the
European Union needed almost two years to act, which sometimes render the assistance itself counter-productive);

- support for the independent media cannot properly be implemented without broader assistance to civil sector de-
velopment and to democratic institutions. (So that, for instance, the European Union cannot conduct a program of
supporting independent media while at the same time excluding Yugoslavia from the PHARE program for the devel-
opment of democracy);

- freedom of information must be a constituent part of every foreign affairs activity and cannot be relegated to the po-
sition of a minor issue

- continuous and intensive training and development courses for editors, managers, journalists and technicians are

TH Ce ey