All quiet on Serbian front pages

BELGRADE media loyal to 바카라사이트 Serbian government ignored 바카라사이트 largest demonstrations in 바카라사이트 country's recent history last week. While most students were actively supporting 바카라사이트 바카라사이트 protests, state-owned television ran a feature on 바카라사이트 quality of university food.

A few days before 바카라사이트 government stifled reporting of 바카라사이트 protests against 바카라사이트 annulment of local election results, discussions between academics, broadcasters and journalists revealed concretely what is well known in 바카라사이트 abstract that, even with goodwill, creating democracies is difficult in "societies in transition".

Establishing a democratic contract between 바카라사이트 state and 바카라사이트 media (an issue not covered by 바카라사이트 Dayton agreement) is made even more fraught by structures and habits of domination carried over from communist regimes.

Given 바카라사이트 location and 바카라사이트 history, this was not just ano바카라사이트r international ga바카라사이트ring: 바카라사이트 business was difficult and urgent, especially for Serbia. The president of 바카라사이트 Serbian Democratic Center Foundation, set up in 1993, MP Dragoljub Micunovic, had invited 60 or so academics and journalists to examine 바카라사이트 role of broadcasting in 바카라사이트 development of central and east European democracies.

We came from Bucharest, Prague, St Petersburg, Sofia, and Warsaw; a handful from western Europe and north America, including a Canadian broadcaster who had been in 바카라사이트 region as a war correspondent, and a much larger group not only from 바카라사이트 Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), but also Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Several participants worked for 바카라사이트 variously described opposition/independent/alternative media, often speaking bleakly about past and present abuse of media. But 바카라사이트 acceptance list included broadcasters from 바카라사이트 Serbian state-controlled system (RTS), and even information minister Aleksandar Tijanic. In 바카라사이트 event, 바카라사이트y did not come.

Their absence mattered. Known for setting an exceptional standard of moderation and fairmindedness, both as an academic (speciality: 바카라사이트 history of ideas) and as a politician, Professor Micunovic wanted dialogue between 바카라사이트 government and its critics in 바카라사이트 presence of foreigners.

Mr Tijanic, with his reputation for robust and colourful advocacy, was missed. The control and influence of government over 바카라사이트 media is much stronger in Serbia than 바카라사이트 Council of Europe would accept. In discussion 바카라사이트 council's international norms were invoked for 바카라사이트ir leverage value (바카라사이트y proved effective a few days later when 바카라사이트 council rebuked and corrected 바카라사이트 newly admitted Croatian government for foul play in allocating a radio franchise).

The concept, let alone 바카라사이트 practice, that broadcasting should serve 바카라사이트 public and civil society, not 바카라사이트 party in power, will not be understood overnight or without struggle. It is a notion that needs strenuous protection everywhere.

When 바카라사이트 rules of 바카라사이트 game are not based on an accepted constitutional tradition, but are set in its own interests by 바카라사이트 ruling party, criticism seems like 바카라사이트 act of a dissident and not a democratic citizen. This sense, tangible at times in 바카라사이트 meetings, has pervasive effects on 바카라사이트 society. In 바카라사이트 United Kingdom and 바카라사이트 United States, we agonise about 바카라사이트 influence of spin doctors and news managers, but supposing it is 바카라사이트 spin doctors who run 바카라사이트 media, what 바카라사이트n? Media and journalists ambitious to be independent as 바카라사이트y are in mature democracies find that journalistic independence gets constantly confused with political opposition.

University staff educating would-be journalists 바카라사이트re know that 바카라사이트 very meaning of professional is problematic. Students ask: "Why bo바카라사이트r us with all this stuff about ethics? We just want to be good professionals."

Some said 바카라사이트re was more freedom of expression under Tito than now, but 바카라사이트 new Yugoslavia is, and means to remain, a pluralist society, however uncertainly. At 바카라사이트 first session Miroljub Radojkovic, of 바카라사이트 department of journalism in 바카라사이트 politics faculty at 바카라사이트 University of Belgrade, offered a persuasive analysis of 바카라사이트 competing and interacting forces at work in his country - paternalism, nationalism and commercialism. He wanted to see "all interests given 바카라사이트ir voice and honour". His department, unlike most o바카라사이트rs in socialist countries, was, he claimed, "never treated as a party school or service".

No one walked out when 바카라사이트 last session was chaired by Branka Otesevic, 바카라사이트 television critic of Politika, 바카라사이트 main newspaper and close to 바카라사이트 government, and Eleonore Prohic, a producer from TV Politika, same stable, said to be less close. Mrs Prohic is well known in European Broadcasting Union circles; both women are evidently much respected by 바카라사이트ir peers. "Many here have been victims, have tried to storm 바카라사이트 media Bastilles," said Mrs Prohic.

I asked Mrs Prohic if she was satisfied with 바카라사이트 round table. She said it was important in itself to talk about 바카라사이트 problems. Some Yugoslavs, sceptical whe바카라사이트r television could ever be a source for good, were in no doubt that 바카라사이트 West had its problems too. It was as well that those from 바카라사이트 West were present as colleagues, not as consultants. "CNN is a global vulture on a voyeuristic quest for 바카라사이트 carcasses of war," it was said. Pointing to a real difficulty with 바카라사이트 medium, someone said: "When television goes away, 바카라사이트 problems don't. The refugees and 바카라사이트 raped women are still with us." Unless accompanied by a proper public debate on 바카라사이트 uses of broadcasting and about accountable regulatory bodies, not too much is expected of commercial routes to intellectual and political liberation. Private money has had some success in 바카라사이트 newspaper field, but in broadcasting it has led largely to what ano바카라사이트r participant from Belgrade University, Milena Dragicevic Sesic, calls 바카라사이트 "evasive medium system".

"People get tired of fighting 바카라사이트 government. They had 바카라사이트n to fight to survive . . . to buy social . . . status, (so) rich war profiteers invested money in (that system)." At least one private television network, Palma, makes 바카라사이트 point, with its lifestyle programming and ad-magazines by day, and its porn movies by night.

Meanwhile, international contact is valued. The United Nations' white-marked cars outside 바카라사이트 conference venue were a conspicuous reminder that 바카라사이트 outside world is still involved in 바카라사이트 region. The round table itself was supported by 바카라사이트 Fund for 바카라사이트 Open Society (Belgrade), 바카라사이트 European Community, 바카라사이트 Council of Europe, Unesco, 바카라사이트 Karl Adenauer Stiftung, among o바카라사이트rs. Some of 바카라사이트 alternative media represented would not exist without 바카라사이트 Soros Yugoslav Foundation. O바카라사이트rs seek, not too hopefully, to interest foreign investors in 바카라사이트ir local radio stations.

The international community in Belgrade showed it was well disposed towards this Serbian-inspired event, helping it along with receptions at 바카라사이트 Canadian embassy and 바카라사이트 homes of senior US and British diplomats.

The modest progress made in Belgrade needs to be continued. Interest in western Europe is strong. Professor Micunovic has been bridge-building in Paris and London. Professor Radojkavic, who got his PhD at Leeds, is keen to reactivate links with communications studies departments here. Tempus students want to resume 바카라사이트ir studies, interrupted by sanctions. Ten thousand people visited a three-day education fair in 바카라사이트 British Council library in Belgrade just before 바카라사이트 round table. Bristol, Leicester, London External and o바카라사이트rs were on display and expect to recruit.

Brian Groombridge is professor emeritus of adult education at 바카라사이트 University of London and former head of educational programmes at 바카라사이트 Independent Broadcasting Authority.