The research team from the South East European Media Observatory has developed a comparative review of the public media services in the region, whose aim is to map the best practices in the management and funding models, which would enable the public media services to work in the public interest and to resist political impacts.
The regional review includes the public media services in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia. Inter alia, in the conclusions of the report, it is stated that the public broadcasting services in the region are exposed to constant crisis and pressure. In all countries from the region there is a huge necessity for reforming either the funding model or the management model, or both. This regional overview also reminds the public broadcasting services, the governments and the media reforms advocates of the existence of alternative measures for improvement of their independence and their function.
The report of the regional review is available below:
Comparing Models and Demanding Reforms of Public Service Media249.99 KB
Research
The majority of the editors and the media in Macedonia operate in an environment influenced by the political centres of power and often even under threats. The political pressure backed by the media owners mainly results in a biased, partisan and non-comprehensive journalism.
Over the years, the Macedonian authorities have grown fairly familiar with methods of financial “support” for media outlets, using funds allocated from the national budget. The results of this obvious misuse have been even more evident in the media market in recent years.
The Analysis offers an overview of the legal framework, implementation of the legislation in the sphere of online media and communications in Macedonia, the role of the self-regulatory mechanisms, as well as, review of the experiences and perceptions of the different stakeholders on internet.
A proactive approach by journalists and institutions is required to efficiently deal with hate speech and discrimination Journalists and individuals who use the media for delivering hate speech and discrimination, should be legally accountable and editors should encourage journalists to adhere to professional work free of hate speech. In addition, self-regulation should be used more frequently as a reacting mechanism in cases of hate speech in the media.
This publication was a result of a wider research project of the South Eastern Europe Network for Profesionalization of Media, which was focused on identifying good and bad practices in media business.