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FYI

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>Subject: Belgrade Radio B-92
>Date:    28/11/96 16:56
>
>
> REUTER
>
>2119 241096 GMT
>RWS
>REU4592 3 OVR 487 ( RWS YU EEU DIP POL BA EMRG NEWS HR ) K2805965
>BC-YUGOSLAVIA-ELECTIONS-RADIO
>Serbian independent radio news jammed
>    By Peter Greste
>    BELGRADE, Nov 28 (Reuter) - The only independent radio in
>the Serbian capital Belgrade said its news programme was
>repeatedly jammed on Thursday amid a wave of opposition street
>demonstrations.
>    The interference came at the height of opposition protests
>against the annulment of results of local elections which the
>opposition coalition Zajedno (Togther) claimed widespread
>victories.
>    "Our signal has been jammed all day," journalist Aleksandar
>Vasovic told Reuters. "Everything is okay as long as we
>broadcast music but as soon as we begin the news programme they
>start jamming us."
>    "We still don't know who is jamming us but our technicians
>strongly believe someone is using a smaller transmitter which is
>set on our frequency."
>    B-92 is the only independent radio station in Belgrade and
>one of a handful in all of Serbia. The radio is one of the few
>local media organisations providing extensive coverage of
>opposition demonstrations.
>    The Paris-based press freedom organisation Reporters Sans
>Frontiers wrote to the Serbian Information Minister Aleksandar
>Tijanic saying "the defence of B-92 is of paramount importance".
>    "Reporters Sans Frontiers therefore demand that you ensure
>that B-92 is in no way disturbed or obstructed on the part of
>the authorities or their supporters," the letter said.
>    The U.N. Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Elisabeth Rehn
>issued a statement on Thursday calling on Belgrade to refrain
>from "taking any measures restricting freedom of the media".
>    Some B-92 listeners said they could hear the news programme
>in a few positions in the city, but the majority of its audience
>were unable to hear news broadcasts.
>    Vasovic said was it an attempt to silence one the country's
>few independent media voices. "This has a clear political
>context. They are trying to prevent people from hearing what's
>happening on the streets."
>    The station said it could still send its news programme to a
>few stations in other towns by telephone link but staff were
>concerned that the authorities may cut the lines.
>    The station has been a thorn in the side of the Socialists
>in the past, giving a platform to political opponents otherwise
>ignored by the state-controlled television and radio.
>    Socialists closed the station in 1991, when police occupied
>its offices and kept it off the air for less than 24 hours.
>Authorities have denied B-92 a broadcasting license and have
>limited the station to a weak signal that cannot be heard beyond
>Belgrade.
>    The jamming coincided with reports that authorities were
>putting pressure on other independent media.
>    Editors at the new independent daily Blic, which gave the
>protests front-page coverage, said the state-run printing works
>had pressed the paper to cut its circulation down from 200,000
>to some 80,000 due to "technical difficulties".
> REUTER
>
>1538 281196 GMT
>
>
>

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Dan David                   Ryerson Polytechnic University
dandavid@acs.ryerson.ca     School of Journalism, 350 Victoria St.,
shmohawk@tvo.org            Toronto, Ontario.M5B 2K3
Ph: (416) 979-5000 x 7194   Fax:  (416) 979-5216
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