Loomio

The role of alternative media in the Balkans

LR Larisa Rankovic Public Seen by 434

Given the situation with media freedom (or a lack thereof) in public broadcasting and commercial media in the Balkans, nonprofit or alternative media often pay very significant role in recent years.
The text "Alternative media: Overcoming lack of media freedoms in the Western Balkans?" https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2017/05/23/alternative-media-overcoming-lack-of-media-freedoms-in-the-western-balkans/ raises issue of the third sector media.

What are, according to you, benefits to the media scene that these type of media outlets create?
What are main challenges for them?
What policy changes would strengthen their position?
Can you list most important ones in your country (or in the region as a whole)?

(These are tentative questions, any thoughts on them would be beneficial, as this is largely under explored media sector, and yet one which often makes link between the sphere of media and civil society organisations).

MNF

Media News from the Balkans Fri 26 May 2017 10:11AM

Here is one example of civil society media sector in the region working together on cross-border and reconciliation processes:

On May 23rd, in Prishtina, a roundtable was held with the title “Perception of NGOs and Media in their role and engagement in the Brussels’ dialogue,” organized by the NGO New Social Initiative (NSI) from Mitrovica and BIRN Kosovo as part of the project “Increasing capacities and credibility in Albanian and Serbian NGOs and media in Kosovo”. The purpose of this UNMIK-funded project is to establish cooperation between Kosovo Albanian and Kosovo Serb civil society and media organizations.

http://birn.eu.com/en/news-and-events/kosovo-albanian-and-serb-civil-society-and-media-agree-to-further-cooperation