Research

Viz3

The Western Balkans’ Sketchy Media Literacy Landscapes

Major research by SEENPM member organisations finds that countries of the region lack comprehensive policies and institutional framework for developing MIL in a systematic way and at scale. By Brankica Petković and Sandra Bašić Hrvatin When studying media and information literacy (MIL), particularly in the Western Balkans region, the analytical approach is almost inevitably interwoven with the activist drive to make our democracies functional, to reform the corrupt media systems and to empower citizens for critical thinking and engagement. Therefore we see media and information literacy as a tool to democratise entire media systems and empower all the players in the systems, instead of only seeking to make citizens literate while absolving media law makers and media producers of any responsibility. Therefore, the most important critical and emancipatory potential of media and information literacy is in enabling citizens to demand that media and communication platforms work in the public interest. Our regional research, intended for mapping and better understanding of the situation and development of media and information literacy in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, was conducted in 2018 by researchers from SEENPM member organisations, the Albanian Media Institute, the Mediacentar Sarajevo, the Macedonian Institute for Media, the Montenegro Media Institute and the Novi Sad School of Journalism, under regional coordination of the Peace Institute in Ljubljana. ABSENCE OF COMPREHENSIVE POLICY The context was provided by frequent references to media and information literacy in many current documents of European institutions and organisations suggesting MIL as an answer to various accumulated problems and shortcomings of media policies and practices. International organisations have shaped the conceptual framework, activities and strategic approach to media and information literacy in our region. They work with governments and NGOs, encouraging transfer of knowledge and often also acting as donors for MIL activities. The negotiations and preparations for EU membership set the political framework and influence the way media literacy is dealt with in the countries of the region. Despite this framework, no country in the region has comprehensive policies and institutional framework for developing MIL in a systematic way and at scale. Clearly, MIL is being left on the margins as a toy for civil society, public sector enthusiasts and international organisations. MIL is not explicitly or continuously included as a goal in policy documents, public policies or legislation. Some aspects of MIL are referred to in strategic documents and legislative acts concerning the media, information society and education. Our research has shown that electronic media regulators, such as the regulatory agencies in North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and partly also in Albania, can play an important role in the analysis and promotion of MIL as well as coordination of different stakeholders with a view to fostering comprehensive and harmonised actions in this field. POTENTIALS OF EDUCATION SYSTEM Civil society organisations in the region have long recognised the strategic role the education system can play in bringing about comprehensive, long-term and mass development of MIL. In 2010 and 2011, the Macedonian Media Institute and the Albanian Media Institute established cooperation with state authorities responsible for the education system, encouraging them to introduce media literacy as a subject or media literacy content in schools. The process included curricula development, teacher trainings (in North Macedonia, around 1,000 teachers were trained), and preparation of textbooks. Unfortunately, such initiatives did not get enough political support to grow into permanent schemes. Almost a decade later, media literacy has not yet been introduced as a subject in schools in these two countries, though some MIL aspects do feature here and there across other subjects. In the same time, subjects aimed at strengthening ICT technical skills have been incorporated in the curricula, though schools are often underequipped and teachers undertrained. In Montenegro in 2008 media literacy was introduced as a one-year elective subject in the second or third grade of grammar school curriculum. In Serbia an elective subject named Language, Media and Culture was introduced in grammar schools from the 2018-9 school year. Yet, our empirical research in Serbia and Montenegro (consisting of interviews, focus groups and student and teacher polls) suggests that a mere introduction of a subject is not sufficient. Good and continuous teacher training, good textbooks, access to equipment and teaching aids are essential. In Montenegro, the number of students attending media literacy classes dropped by half over a decade. Of the 20 grammar schools in the country, 11 have introduced the subject, but in the school year 2016-7 it was taught in only six schools, with a total of 164 students attending classes, while in the following school year numbers dropped further, with only four teaching the subject and 60 students attending. The question remains as to why, even when an agreement is reached to introduce a subject aimed at developing media and information literacy, education authorities opt for an elective subject and then limit it to grammar schools. MIL PIONEERS AND ABSENTEES Civil society organisations are pioneers of MIL promotion and development in the region. These organisations were active in raising the awareness and ability of citizens, notably youth, to critically examine and get involved in the work of the media and digital platforms even in times when the concept of media and information literacy was not as well-elaborated as today. A catalogue of all the civil society organisations in the region and the media and information literacy actions carried out by them would be extensive, as our mapping of leading stakeholders and initiatives shows. But the large number of civil society actors has not brought major advances: they appear scattered, their actions mostly short-term; and they are typically dependent on foreign donations. The media are not a particularly active player in the promotion of media and information literacy in the Western Balkans. Public broadcasters are doing almost nothing to promote MIL, even though working to empower and educate citizens should be central to their mission. The non-participation of media and journalists in the region in strategic measures and activities aimed at improving citizens’ media and information literacy is a historic failure on their part. The narrow focus of their attention and energy on fending off attacks on their independence and dignity is understandable, but their non-participation in activities to improve citizens’ media literacy means they have not recognised the opportunity to reconnect with citizens and invest in their empowerment as active and critical guardians of freedom of expression and democracy in general. In our view, it should be an imperative to design mechanisms for the continuous training and professional development of journalists and other media professionals to improve their own media and information literacy given the challenges resulting from new technologies and complex structures for organised spreading of false information, developments that threaten the survival and critical role of journalism. THE POWER OF NETWORKING AND COLLABORATION The fairly large number of actors working to improve media and information literacy and the advances that some governments in the region have made toward adopting a national strategy for MIL still amount to only sporadic steps with an uncertain outcome. At the same time, there are many proofs of the exceptional benefit that can be derived from networking and collaborative activities, especially when strategic work and joint actions are undertaken in cooperation with state bodies, civil society, but also other players, including the media. Our regional project “Media for Citizens – Citizens for Media” recognises the potential and momentum for putting media and information literacy higher on the political agenda by mobilising and connecting different actors in national coalitions and joint actions. The main purpose of our research was to map the field of analysis. We have shown that some good practices and good attempts to translate an idea into a concrete public policy can be found in each country. Fragmented attempts, mostly by individual activists and CSOs, should be turned into a coherent public policy with clear objectives, stakeholders and performance indicators. Media and information literacy is not a magic wand that will resolve all the accumulated problems in the media sphere. But it is an important step on the long road of transforming the system and making citizens’ information and communication needs an imperative for an active state policy in the public interest. Definition of priorities, creation of broad alliances for a reform of the media system (at both national and supranational levels) and an active defence of the right to credible information should make up the political framework for such changes. The flood of disinformation; negation of facts and science; hate speech; sale of privacy; disappearance of serious political debate regarding the past, present or future; populism, which offers quick solutions to complex problems; the lack of trust in political institutions; these are all results of the destruction of democracy that has been going on for a long time now. The worst that can happen is for media and information literacy to become a sort of Trojan horse of liberal policy that relativizes the rights of people by reducing them to the possibility to choose between different identity forms of media consumption. In this relativist view, critical understanding of, and a media-literate attitude vis-à-vis, the media and media content is but one possibility we choose as citizens. And what is the other possible choice? Media illiteracy and being doomed to non-critical acceptance of media manipulations? Can we allow this to be a matter of choice? Download the research publication in English: ‘Media and Information Literacy in the Western Balkans: Unrealized Emancipatory Potential‘ The publication featured in the article and the article were produced within the regional program “Media for Citizens – Citizens for Media: Strengthening the Capacity of NGOs for the Development of Media and Information Literacy in the Western Balkans” , implemented with the support of the European Union by partner organizations Mediacentar Sarajevo, Albanian Media Institute, Macedonian Institute for Media, Montenegrin Media Institute, Novi Sad School of Journalism, Peace Institute, SEENPM.  
Analiza Mrtv

Analysis: The structural position of female journalists in the Macedonian media

In Macedonia there is a legal framework guaranteeing gender equality and representation in all areas of society, including the media. The international recommendations that address this issue have been integrated into the legislation. However, the general worldwide trend that despite the fact that women are more numerous in the newsrooms, the editorial, managerial and executive positions in the media are dominated by men is reflected in practice. Research shows that this is also reflected in the media products, where there is gender asymmetry in terms of represented opinions and consulted protagonists. This is only part of the content of the Analysis on the structural position of female journalists in the Macedonian media, conducted by the Macedonian institute for media, within the project “ReForMediaMKD – Citizens, CSO’s and Institutions reforming media in Macedonia”. The project is supported by the European Commission. The aim of the research is to determine the position of women in the media structure in Macedonia, considering their representation in various levels of the governing structures of some of the most influential media in Macedonia, their educational background, opportunities for professional development, as well as their economic and security standing. The full report is attached below: The structural position of female journalists in the Macedonian media1.61 MB
Analiza Sibvencii

Analysis: Media and journalism subsidy mechanisms in Macedonia and the countries in Europe

The purpose of this analysis is to detect the opportunity for a possible introduction of a subsidy system or other type of assistance for the media, based on the experiences and practices of other countries in Europe and the region, as well as to analyze the effects from the previous application of subsidies or other types of support for the media awarded in the past years. The analysis was carried out from May to June 2018, through desktop research, by considering several media experts reports and analyses as a starting point, and by conducting a series of interviews with media professionals and institutions.2 Numerous secondary data from relevant official sources were analyzed as well. The Analysis is available in attach. Media and journalism subsidy mechanisms1.94 MB
Analiza210518

Analysis: Diversity in Reporting in the Central News Editions of the Most-Watched TV Channels in Macedonia

The main goal of the research is to determine how the eight TV channels in Macedonia (the most viewed 5 terrestrial and one cable, as well as the two channels of the public service broadcaster) report in the new socio-political conditions from the aspect of diversity in the thematic and genre representation, journalistic engagement, representation of different actors and geographical coverage. The intention is to determine how the public media function in the current circumstances and how they are trying to serve the public interest and ensure a better and a more comprehensive manner of informing the citizens. The Analysis is available in attach. Diversity in Reporting in the Central News Editions of the Most-Watched TV Channels1.79 MB
Struk1

Analysis: The role of structural pluralism in the Macedonian, Croatian and Montenegrin TV sector

Media pluralism is not clearly acknowledged in the legislation as a regulatory objective in the audiovisual field. The development of the audiovisual sector and the media pluralism (in Macedonia) to date did not take place strategically, and it was up to the regulator to implement their own strategic vision. Furthermore, the legacy fragmentation of the market, the political and industrial pressure on the regulator had an effect on the aggravation of the overall media image. The analysis shows that the audience in Croatia has the greatest access to a variety of general and specialized TV services with domestic content. These are the main conclusions from the comparative analysis “The role of structural pluralism in the Macedonian, Croatian and Montenegrin TV sector”, prepared by PhD Snezhana Trpevska. The full report is attached below:   The role of structural pluralism in the Macedonian, Croatian and Montenegrin TV1.22 MB
Analiza

Analysis: Political Pluralism in Media Reporting in the Period Outside of Election Campaign

How to prevent possible repetition of the practice of granting an exclusive and privileged position to certain political power centres, as well as spreading propaganda on certain political parties and ideological opinions through the media, is one of the key problems in the media sphere in Macedonia. During elections, fair, balanced and impartial reporting is a legal obligation of the public broadcasting service and commercial media, but the problem arises and chronically pervades, especially outside the election campaign. Fair and diverse reporting, as well as the expression of the positions of different political and ideological groups, including the views and interests of minority groups through the media,1 are some of the key professional and ethical standards that can contribute to achieving a political pluralism in the media. Political pluralism is a wider concept that refers to “the capacity and possibility of all social segments, with their likely diverse political/ideological views and interests to address/reach the public by means of the media”. The full report is attached below: Political Pluralism in Media Reporting in the Period Outside of Election Campaign1.73 MB
Analiza Mrtv

Comparative Analysis of the Programming Councils of the Public Service Broadcasters of Macedonia, Croatia and Slovenia

It is necessary to open a public discussion regarding the thorough reform of all aspects of operation of the public service broadcaster, Macedonian Radio-Television (MRT), and the future development of this broadcasting-house, in order to transform it into a modern European public service. The election of members to the Public Service Programming Council should be conducted through an open public competition in order to reduce direct political influences. Moreover, all stakeholders should consider the option of a possible increase in the number of members in this body, in order to ensure a more appropriate representation of the various segments and interests in the Macedonian society. In addition, the direct entry of certain members, the reviewing of the ban on participation of public service employees in the Programming Council, as well as the introduction of the so-called staggered term of the members should also be taken into consideration. MRT should promote transparency in its work and develop channels and mechanisms for communicating with the audience. These are the main recommendations from the comparative analysis of the Programming Councils of the public service broadcasters of Macedonia, Croatia and Slovenia, prepared by Ms. Ljiljana Mitevska. The full report is attached below: Comparative analysis1.82 MB
2KK 4864 Compressor

Analysis: The effectiveness of the legislation for protection against hate speech

Legislative amendments of the existing regulations aimed at more precisely defining hate speech, developing a consistent system for prevention and repression of acts of hate speech, including the application of the practices of the European Court of Human Rights by the judicial authorities, as well as ensuring urgent changes in the media regulations by introducing sanctions for hate speech and the inciting of violence through the audiovisual programs that the regulator would process in a misdemeanor procedure, are only part of the recommendations from the analysis of the MIM “The effectiveness of the legislation for protection against hate speech” by the author Nenad Zivanovski. The full report is attached below: The effectiveness of the legislation for protection against hate speech3.42 MB
2KK 9154 Compressor

Analysis: Ownership and Financial Models of the Most Influential TV-Channels In Macedonia, Croatia and Slovenia

International corporate companies, such as CME and RTL, that are well-established on the media market in Croatia and Slovenia, enable stable position and funding of commercial TV-channels on national level which they own, that consequently reflects the growing independence of their editorial policies. Unlike them, owners of commercial terrestrial TV-channels on national level in Macedonia appear to be exclusively domestic legal entities and individuals. None of the media companies that own the commercial terrestrial TV-channels on national level is registered as having media as a core business, and an additional problem is that some of the owners do not have understanding for the social responsibility and influence that the media have on shaping public opinion. Ownership of the media in Macedonia is formally clear, but ownership links with political and business centers of power are not actually broken. So far, as the responsibilities of institutions are set out, no one can and, as it turns out in practice, no one has a will to trace hidden connections that media maintain with political and business centers of power in the background. As a result, political interference in some highly influential national TV channels in Macedonia, in the researched period were explicitly present, to the extent of their misuse for propaganda spreading. This is only part of the content of the Analysis on Ownership and Financial Models of the Most Influential TV-Channels in Macedonia, Croatia and Slovenia, conducted by the Macedonian institute for media, within the project “ReForMediaMKD – Citizens, CSO’s and Institutions reforming media in Macedonia”. The project is supported by the European Commission. The full report, together with conclusions and recommendation, is attached below: Ownership and financial models of the most influential TV channels3.4 MB