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International Freedom of Expression eXchange Clearing House
IFEX "COMMUNIQUE" # 7-12  24 March 1998

 RADIO B92 DIRECTOR GIVES WPFC LECTURE

Sasa Mirkovic, the co-founder and current director of Serbian
radio station B92, describes his  ongoing struggles to stay on the
air in a recent publication by the World Press Freedom Committee
(WPFC).

The report, "Fighting for Press Freedom in Serbia", contains the
text version of a 3 December 1997 speech by Mirkovic on the
current challenges faced by the media in Serbia and how new
communication technologies can help overcome these obstacles.

In his speech, Mirkovic details how Serbian authorities attempt to
control the media. With respect to licensing, Mirkovic said: "[i]f
you want to establish mostly news and informative programming, you
can be sure that you will not obtain the necessary license. On the
other hand, stations which have mostly entertainment
programming...will get all needed licenses, and their existence
and number will be abused by authorities who would point it out as
freedom of media in Serbia today."

Mirkovic also examined the importance of communication tools such
as satellites and the Internet. "[N]ew technologies are opening
new, unmeasurable possibilities. Soon we will try to connect all
local radio and TV stations via Internet.... We will try to
overcome the problems of many young people who in the past few
years had no chance to be informed objectively about what was
happening in the country, about current affairs and about the
things which are important for the continuation of the fight for
free and open society, and freedom of information."

In comments that are especially relevant today given the current
crisis in Kosovo, Mirkovic stressed that there are no independent
broadcasters in that region and the importance of establishing
them immediately. "It would be one of the most significant steps
towards the establishment of [a] better climate for co-existence
and strengthening of trust between Serbs and Albanians in the
province," said Mirkovic.

For more information or for the complete text of Sasa Mirkovic's
speech, contact WPFC at 11690-C Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston,
Virginia, 20191, USA, tel: +703 715 9811, fax: +7-3 620 6790,
e-mail:  freepress@wpfc.org.

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