What is “fake news” and how can we distinguish it from “real news”? An interview by Radio Student with 4 members of the new European Commission High Level Group on fake news and online disinformation. All of the guests agreed on the fact that censorship in any form must be avoided and that emphasis should be given to readers education and media literacy. The broadcasts goes on with the debate among 5 members of Radio Student's political desk who wonder about how the term “fake news” evolved in the last year and a half and how it can be abused.
“Novine Vranjske”, a weekly from the town of Vranje in south Serbia, known for its professional and critical journalism, closed its doors due to financial and political pressure. In the broadcast we describe how the system of project based state funding of media in Serbia - introduced with media reforms in 2014 - is being abused, particularly on the local level, to support pro-government media and stifle critical outlets. We talked to Svetozar Raković from Nezavisno udruženje novinara Srbije and Dinko Gruhonjić from Nezavisno društvo novinara Vojvodine.
The co-founder and editor in chief of “Balkanist ” Lily Lynch claimed to Radio Student that the establishment of its magazine was a consequence of the tightening of media space in Serbia after the election of Aleksandar Vučić in 2014. In the same interview Lynch spoke about the role of “Balkanist” within the Balkan media environment as she sees it. She highlighed the obsession with Russia versus the “west narrative” as the main deficiency in international media's coverage of the region. The conversation concludes with her view of the multifaceted role of US in the Balkans.
The Slovenian Radio Television (RTV) Programme Council voted against the removal of TV director Ljerka Bizilj. The dismissal proposal came from the RTV General Director immediately after the broadcast of a TV show dedicated to the controversial Croatian nationalist singer Marko Perković-Thompson. According to the revision of the internal ombudsman, the program was biased and violated the "journalistic standards" of the country; nevertheless, Ljerka Bizilj decided not to take any measures. By his vote, the RTV Council defended Ljerka Bizilj’s position.
Montenegrin investigative journalist Jovo Martinovic is being prosecuted for alleged involvment in and help to a criminal sindicate, which he was investigating as a journalist. The case is based on questionable evidence and montenegrin journalists union as well as foreign press organisations have urged the authorities to guarantee a fair trial and respect the fact that his contacts with members of criminal syndicates were a consequence of his journalistic work.
The slovenian ministry of Culture formulated a new media strateg in order to bing improvements particularly in the area of journalists' working conditions.
An interview with the media inspector in Slovenia, Sandra Vesel: the limited capacities of the inspectorate; the deficiencies in Media law; the regulation of adverstising.
The publication of the biggest left-leaning newspaper in Hungary, Nepszabadsag was suspended last week. The owner of the newspaper, a company called Mediaworks, which is controlled by an Austrian businessman Heinrich Pecina claims the suspension is a purely commercial decision, because Nepszabadsag was generating losses for the past couple of years. However many journalists as well as other members of the public claim there is a political context to the decision.
The broadcast covers the protests of journalists and the general public, organised under the slogan "Podrži RTV" (support RTV) in the Serbian autonomous province of Vojvodina. They protested the laying off of 14 editors at the public broadcaster RTV Vojvodina, which they saw as politically motivated. The lay-offs happened immediatelly after the country-wide and povincial elections, both of which were won by the SNP party of the serbian prime minister Aleksandar Vučić.
