General information

On behalf of Press Now, I visited Kosova from the 17th till the 26th of march. Albana Shala asked me to visit Radio Contact Plus in Mitrovica and Urban FN in Pristina. Next she told me that Press Now is interested in knowing the possibilities for cooperation between Contact Plus, Urban FM and Radio Prizren. Also she demanded to discuss the need for training on the job. With the help of Nora Behluli, Press Now’s representative in Pristina, I spent ten days all over the country to see the stations, to listen to the programs, to talk to staff and journalists and to find the answers.

To put it beyond all doubt, it is not easy to give a picture of a radio station in a tense area, with permanent hostility from different sides, with relative few experience in free radio journalism, with a lack of money and always dependent on distrustful donors watching over their shoulder. And it is so easy to go in depth and compare their broadcasting with the prosperous radio stations in the west. I will not do so. In different situations and different culture, journalists make different radio. It has more sense to use journalistic keystones to compare, such as accuracy(information conforms with reality and not misleading or false), integrity(information is truthful) and fairness (information reflects equitably). Then I am quite impressed by the way the editorial staff, the reporters, the technicians, the editors-in-chief and the directors I met do their job.Because so many data and information are already available about Contact Plus – see the reports of Jack Kroes – I will limit my self to paint a small picture of the station. It was a pleasure to meet the two directors/founders of Urban FM, especially by their energy and enthusiasm and the frank and open way we discussed their future. A so called alternative station, looking for an audience between 15 and 35. And walking through the streets with the founders, meeting people, they are successful.
Radio Prizren is an old and respectable station in the second city of Kosova, with almost touching opinions about journalism.
Three different stations with a different audience and a different culture.According to the latest survey, there are 121 radio stations all over Kosova *). The reason why Press Now should support these very three is defensible. Contact Plus and Radio Prizren are public radio, number one in their city._{(* OSCE representatives expect that this number will decrease as soon as new media-laws on royalties and copyrights will be introduced, probably the end of the year. For then, owners of radio have to pay for every CD, movie and text they are using, piracy will come to an end. Some stations, according to the OSCE, will decide to stop because they can’t simply afford paying legalization)}Urban FM is one of the five stations with a license to broadcast all over the country – the others are Radio 21; radio Djuganini, radio Kosova and radio Blue Sky. But Urban FM has a totally different concept about radio with an audience to describe as the decision makers of to-morrow.
In an attempt to summarize, Contact Plus is very much civic journalism – serving their audience with news and much information about what is in the interest of the city and the people.
To define the content of Radio Prizren, it is well-considered to call it basic journalism – profound, strict, facts only and no room for entertainment of sensation.
And describing the formula of Urban FM it is openly speaking campaigning journalism – repeatedly promotion of actions, projects and missions to improve life and heart in a rather xenophobe city and country. A station with the accent on music in a surprising variety and where, indeed, journalism is still underdeveloped.
There are similarities. All very much believe in professional, unbiased and multi-ethnical radio. All have principles about an open Kosovar society, where minorities will live equal and peaceful together. They have, finally, in common that all are running out of money. Contact Plus could not pay the salaries over the last two months. Radio Prizren lowered the salaries to fifty euro a month in an attempt to survive. Urban FM does not have telephone because of a debt, except some technicians, contributors work for free.
So, Press Now has to act quick

Radio Contact Plus

In the crowded and depressing city Mitrovica, where Serbs and Albanians are divided by a river and ethnic emotions, Contact Plus is a monument of civilization. The station is based in one of the rare well equipped buildings, where also OSCE has her office. Everything is clean and comfortable. A room for editorial meetings, a place for reporters to prepare their broadcast, in a corner simple equipment with a small mixer for the technician and behind the glass-wall a very small studio.
I met and talked to more than ten people and I spent some hours with Mirjiana Milutinovic, the executive director and Zeljko Tvrdeisic, editor-in-chief. I was watching radio makers during there work and I listened to their programmes. By example a fifty minutes lasting interview with a representative of the Serb enclave Lipljan, near Pristina. Because Serbs refused to pay their electricity bills, in the very cold winter that passed there was no light and no warmth. Attempts to come to an agreement failed. An attempt from the electricity-company in Belgrade, to pay the bills with supply of energy to the electricity-company in Pristina, was also useless. In Lipljan, according to the representative, originally lived 1500 Albanians and 6000 Serbs. Now still 1000 Serbs left and 6000 Albanians jumped in. A fifty minutes lasting program without words as ethnical cleansing and terror, forbidden by the code of UNMIK. A well balanced, professional interview that clarified much.
Early in the morning I followed the morning-show with news, music, headlines in the newspapers, vox populi and, in direct phone calls with the different authorities, tough information about the quality of the water, the possible cut in electricity and the situation in the hospital. I listened to the news in Romany and I discussed with a young reporter her latest Tuesday-afternoon programma Prejudices. She asks people in the street loaded questions as do you have sex before marriage and do you know homosexual ? Of course no one is doing that, but they always know friends who do.
But in general, this is very serious radio.
We had a discussion about the 17th of march last year, when RTK in Pristina broadcasted unchecked information about Albanian kids in Mitrovica who, hunted by Serbs, drowned in the river Iber. KTV and Radio 21 followed that fake news. And all over, the country reacted outrageous. Radio Contact Plus immediately investigated the story and found out it was false, a canard. So the station broadcasted the real story. It lasted hours before reality returned. RTK dismissed the two responsible journalists but never offered apologizes to the Serbs, the Roma and other minorities who were victims of the fury. In short – seeing the special circumstances, the small world, the limited freedom of movement – I think Radio Contact Plus does a very good job. I was impressed by the discipline, the hard working of the journalists, the silent authority of Mirjiana Milutinovic, the journalistic qualities of the editor in chief Zeljko Tvrdisic who succeeds in motivating and stimulating his team – young people, some of them half time working students, from the university of Mitrovica.
A radio station very much depends on technicians who really can do miracles in tense moments. Contact Plus has. I talked to the technician-in-chief Vladan Radosavljevic. He convinced me that, in order to broadcast in a wider range and cover more enclaves, a 500W transmitter is necessary. Also because Contact Plus want to apply for a regional broadcasting license. He discussed already with the Italian supplier, that the by Press Now donated 300W transmitter, easily and efficiently can be exchanged for a 500W transmitter. Watching the technicians doing their work, I also realized that the mixer is in a poor condition.

Finally , I think all the requests for equipment and a contribution in the salaries, production and running costs are realistic. Therefore I want to recommend Press Now to discuss with the other three donors the request of radio Contact Plus, in order to fulfill their needs.

Radio Urban FM

Urban FN is located in a dilapidated villa in the periphery of Pristina, without a heating system and unsound lighting. In the biggest room on the first floor a round table with three computers out of the Stone Age and two chairs. In the former sun lounge an old mixer, once scrapped by RTK. Some recorders and CD-players. Here is also room for the studio. In a way a sympathetic entrance, here at least money is not spent on luxury.
The enthusiasm and dedication of the two owners Abdusselah Ramadani and Dardan Islami compensates much. They founded Urban FM five years ago because they wanted to have their own station and turn their own music. Since, the station survived in spite of the permanent lack of money, the poor equipment and the frequent intervals without telephone and internet because of debts. Then, a luminous idea arise by offering the internet company time for a nice produced radio-commercial to solve the bill. Because strong points of Ramadani and Islami are their creativity and fantasy. Two years ago they hired for two weekends a train, crossing Kosova with DJ’s from Belgrade, Skopje and Zagreb, life-music and hundred Albanians, hundred Serbs, fifty Roma and twenty Turks. A road of peace, also through the Serb enclaves. They launched a campaign for a cleaner Kosova environment, operated very actively during the elections with self designed TV-spots and meetings and organize regularly music festivals and concerts. Every event is directly aired.
Their latest idea is the project Move Freely, to promote human rights and a better understanding for a need for communal life – a desperate cry for return to harmony in Kosova.
An just during my presence, they managed to pay the tax for their large VAN, in fact a mobile studio for daily reports in the streets of Pristina.
All life, this is radio man.

I spent three days asking questions and listening to the staff of n Urban FM. I met Berat Gashi, technician, editor and clever in digital montage. I talked to Shuki, 21 years old and already world famous in Pristina – an open-minded boy with a popular daily radio program on Urban FM, funny and sharp. The bulk of the broadcasting is music, shows and culture. I also listened to interviews, more than half an hour with a political scientist who thinks it is unbearable that the election lists in Kosova only register the names of the parties but not the names of the nominates. Another interview with the designer of the posters Our prime has work to do – a civilized campaign to draw the attention that former president Haradinaj is in prison in The Hague.
On a Saturday I visited the editorial meeting, twelve people, journalists, students from the faculty of journalism, coming-medicines and -psychologists discussing the future of Urban FM. Young, idealistic, involved with the formula of the station, willing to work hard in a difficult situation. I urge the owners to develop a program of intentions and a business description. They did. So we discussed journalism, still the weak point of Urban FM.

We agreed that as soon as Press Now decides to support Urban FN, Ramadani and Islami will engage a team of four radio-reporters and a very experienced journalist as editor-in-chief. There will be a separation between the management and the editorial office. Journalists are responsible for news and information, the management for all other affairs.
The two owners applaud the condition for the establishment of an advisory board to take care that the editorial office act conform the principles of the station. Further on the board will regularly come together to discuss the broadcastings and come up with ideas. The board will also control the spending of the donor-money.
During my visit, the head of the Dutch embassy, Peter W.A.Bas Backer, welcomed the idea that his second man, Carel D.L.Brands, will join the board as a treasurer. I also found the Dutch media specialist in Pristina, Willem Houwen, ready to collaborate. The two owners of Urban FM will take care for al least three other candidates, coming from different section s of the community.

Back in Holland I talked to Erwin Blom, head of the advanced department digital radio from the Dutch public broadcasting station VPRO. He assured me that he is ready to assist and cooperate with Urban FM in each way. When the moment is ready, in consultation with Urban FM we have to find out in what way the two stations can benefit from each other.
If this all will be realized, I very much understand that Urban FM needs a replacement of the antenna in order to attract more listeners and cover three-quart of Kosova.

Finally, I very much believe that Urban FM has the potential to develop itself into one of the leading radio stations in Kosova. Therefore I recommend Press Now to follow largely the demand of Urban FM to finance the link, the informative program and the equipment upgrade. Further on Press Now takes in consideration to reserve funds for another two years. Maintaining of the web site can wait till the station has proved being on the right road.

Radio Prizren

Prizren is situated in a wedge in the country, encircled by Macedonia and Albania. Here are the still very natural Sharrie mountains and live the mysterious Dragash-people. Radio Prizren was established thirty years ago by the municipal assembly. After the war, there were discussions that the public station should be privatized but staff and journalists revolted against, fearing losing their social value. Now it is a so called NGO-station without a penny from the town and now and then some donations from the German and Turkish KFOR-troops or OSCE. The radio station is located in a well maintained building, now owned by the Regional Employment Center that again and again tried to get rid of Radio Prizren. But the station resists.

I know Prizren from two and three years before when I trained on behalf of UNDP a number of local radio-journalists. Among them were four reporters from Radio Prizren and I experienced how reliable and eager they were. At the end I was so happy to deliver twelve mini-recorders sponsored by Press Now – still they are used.
On Sunday I went back, to meet Shefajet Berisha, the editor-in-chief, and my former student, Kadrije Imami-Mustafa who is editor in Turkish and accountant of the station. It is quite a story why she combines these two jobs. Once, in that cold dark communist period, she reported that thirty-three baby’s died in the hospital because of salmonella. The professor/director of the hospital reacted outrageous shouting the report was false. But Kadrije showed him the facts. Then, the management of the station bowed for the powerful and decided to withdraw her from editorial work and to burden her with the bookkeeping of the radio station. She came back after 1999.

The equipment of radio Prizren is rather poor, a very old mixer, two computers for the Albanian language and three others for the minorities Roma, Turkish and Bosnian. An editorial room, place for the technician and a small studio where at that particular Sunday three children were presenting a life program for the youth. Unfortunate, telephone only can be used for incoming calls. Because of a debt, outgoing calls are impossible. So is internet. Last year was a real tough time, chief-editor Berisho said. During six months, the salaries were lowered to fifty euro a month – for everyone. Meanwhile the salaries are hundred euro again.
The worsening economic problems in Prizren , very much had to do with the ethnic violence that started on the 17th of march last year when some dozens of houses were destroyed by arson. The reporters of Radio Prizren distinguished themselves by reserved broadcasting about the riots and attempts to cool down. There are seven radio stations in Prizren. As a result of the tough competition journalists break moral codes, is the experience of Berisho. ‘I rather quit than follow that development,’ he said.

Radio Prizren does not hesitate to cover loaded subjects. About sex equality, child abuse, corruption, drugs, prostitution. Guests from all over the region are invited to come to the studio. Sometimes there are documentaries about life and work in the Roma villages and the Serb enclaves. Three female journalists are very much involved in women rights, health and education.
So serious indeed.

Finally, Radio Prizren desperately needs money to survive and to continue serious and ambitious radio-reporting. I only spent one day in Prizren, but because of my earlier experience, I know Radio Prizren deserves support. I urged the staff to write down a kind of management report. They did and although it is not perfect, it means a good start. I strongly recommend Press Now to help radio Prizren in solving the monthly deficits for the coming year, a total amount of euro 12.000. And I recommend to work out plans to come to structural help in the near future.

Training and co-operation

Press Now also asked me to look after the possibilities for co-operation between Urban FM, Contact Plus and Radio Prizren, and further on to find out if training is needed and what kind of training will be needed.

There is no doubt that the three stations are willing for an intense co-operation. Radio Contact Plus already cooperates in preparing a news journal together with four other stations in the region. In addition there exists a joint project – named Cerpik – with eleven stations from all over Kosova – Albanian, Turkish and Serb. Cerpik, located in Pristina, is financed by NGO’s and operates as a kind of production-company. As the editor-in-chief Zeljko Tvrdisic told me, every station prepares a part for a documentary, all the pieces are forged together by Cerpik. Radio Prizren has experience in cooperation with radio Pejë and applaud the idea to enlarge the cooperation. It is clear that Urban FM can benefit from these existing pools. Other stations can benefit from Urban FM because of their collection and knowledge of music. Everyone agrees that as soon as the journalism section of Urban FM is quite settled, representatives from the stations have to meet each other on a regularly base to discuss the subjects for joint action. At the end there will be a well-run radio-network where stations work together en benefit each other professionalism. Personal I think that in the near future all these cooperation should flow into a Radio Press Agency for Kosova, a small unit with a computer where all the relevant (news)-items from the different stations will be brought together as a reservoir with news, documentaries and interviews for others.

I advise Press Now to put the stress on cooperation, network and a radio press agency every time again when support is offered.

There is no doubt that the three stations I visited, appreciate very much the idea of training. There is not any reluctance, Urban FM cheers the idea because the owners know that they have a lot to learn. Radio Prizren is keen to improve journalism. Radio Contact Plus likes the idea of having a management course. So do Urban FM.
But Press Now must not reinvent the wheel. When I visited Radio Contact Plus, a female reporter returned from Swiss where she followed a two week course. Another visited Italy.
Almost every week a reporter from Kosovo goes abroad to follow classes journalism. I indeed prefer the idea training on the spot. I know from experience how difficult it is to write excellent intro’s and short, nice sounded texts for radio. How to select news? What is news? To discuss these questions, the best environment is an editorial room. But how to organize as all the journalists are needed to catch the deadline?
It is may be a better idea to benefit from other possibilities. In September, the new Kosovo Institute of Journalism & Communication(KIJAC) starts a wide range of possibilities to improve journalism – 3-4 weeks lasting courses, seminars, post-doc education and a master-program. The institute is financed by the ministry of foreign affairs in Norway and will at least function seven years. The institute starts with a 1.2 million budget for the first year. Responsible for the project is Willem Houwen. He very much likes the idea to combine parts of the work of Press Now with the activities of his Institute.

Therefore I recommend Press Now to be in touch with Willem Houwen in order to discuss how to benefit from each other efforts to improve journalism in Kosovo.

Appendix

After the first meeting of the provisional advisory board at the office of Radio Urban FM Monday April 11th and as result of deliberation by e-mail, I am able to give a more clear picture about the consultation of the different radio stations, the establishment of a network and the realization of a Radio Press Agency.

Depending the support Urban FM will receive to run itself as a promising journalistic station, the editors-in-chief of Urban FM, Radio Contact Plus and Radio Prizren will meet each other every fortnight to discuss mutual problems, the agenda, preparation of documentaries and ideas. Although I did not have any contact with Pejë, I suggest that as soon as possible a public radio station in Pejë, will join the pool to cover easily the news from all the directions of the wind. Next, more public stations who profess the same principles for accurate, unbiased, impartial and balanced reporting, will have the possibility to be part of a national network. Every station will appoint a special correspondent, to deliberate the daily news with the other stations and to share each other scoops and highlights. Special attention will be paid on covering minorities and inter-ethnic relations. By co-operation, every station will benefit from each other skills, local knowledge, interest and special problems.

It will, by example, be useful to have regularly factual surveys about the migration of people in Kosovo. Weekly reports with information from all over the country about the sections of the communities, life in the enclaves, inside reports from the Roma ghettos, news from the dense populated cities such as Mitrovica and mutual regional problems – presented by all the stations on a fixed hour. Also combined campaigns are thinkable, by example contests between schools in cleaning towns and countrysides from waste and dirt.

The idea is that soon after successful co-operation, the network will pass into a Radio Press Agency – a joint office, in the long run staffed by two coordinators and two sub-editors, where all the news comes together, will be edited and made available for the different stations. The office will be equipped with some powerful computers. The coordinators will be very experienced journalists who have monthly contact with the editors-in-chief from the different radio-stations to discuss the organization of the news, to launch new ideas and to run the network of correspondents within the radio stations. They also will consult foreign press agency’s for the international news. Goal is to make journalists and radio stations in Kosovo responsible for their own supply of news.

In the very first the network depends particularly on good intention and some financial support to organize the news – euro 500 a month means euro 6000 a year. Later on the founding of the press agency, based in one of the radio stations, needs equipment for an estimated amount of euro 6000. The yearly budget for two coordinators(together thousand euro a month) and two sub-editors (six hundred a month) will be euro 19.200. I underline that practical experience will lead to the ideal situation.

Rudie van Meurs
Herwijnen, 15 april 2005