Nevertheless, a majority in non-governmetal circles believes that the International Community has sacrificed media freedom in Serbia for the sake of Kosovo?
That story was promoted immediately after the signing of the Dayton Agreement when Studio B was banned. In London I realized that there is a serious understanding of our fear that the independent media are a victim of the Kosovo Agreement. The policy of Great Britain, as far as I can tell, will increasingly tilt towards the support for freedom.
You have sent a request to the OSCE and some representatives of Western governments to send verifiers for the media who would have a mandate on the whole territory of the FRY. Have you received a reply to your request?
Mostly verbal positive replies. First public support for this initiative came from Joschka Fischer, German minister of Foreign Affairs, and Freimut Duve, who is in charge of the media in OSCE. It seems to me that the British Government will also attempt to promote that idea.
How has B92 managed to set up a new transmitter and strengthen its signal so that it can now be heard outside Belgrade, in the conditions of the repressive Public Information Law?
We played safe. We have been preparing for a long time. We got a frequency in July in the first round [of the tender for public broadcasters organized by the Federal Ministry of Information], but not for the location we requested. Until that was corrected and until we were not allowed to place a transmitter on the roof of the Youth Hall, we refused to sign a contract [with the Federal Ministry of Information].
When we analyzed why out of 39 requests for a frequency in the first round [of the tender] only three were approved, including ours, the most frequently encountered opinion among our contacts within the establishment was that that was a way to destroy ANEM. The goal was to get B92 to abandon other broadcasters. That was very naive since from the start we were aware that B92 shouldn't try to cover all of Serbia since it is an urban radio station with links to Belgrade, but that our goal should be to develop a network of local stations.
The construction of the new antenna column progressed quickly. We wanted to test the desire and capability of the citizens to participate in a common action and we initiated a fund raising campaign. By the way, that is how American non commercial broadcasters work. Another goal of the campaign was to inform everyone in the world that we were setting up a new transmitter, that nothing will prevent us from doing that, and to in advance set up mechanisms for defense and support in case someone comes and switches the transmitter off once it is set up.
During the building of the antenna column you announced solidarity actions with other stations within ANEM and with the independent press.
We have initiated a campaign, prepared by several public relations and marketing companies, for a new and better Public Information Law. Radio Index is still transmitted on our frequency [for a few ours every day]. We will try to transform that into a longer program, so that all the people who work there could get a job and that their program could be rebroadcasted by those local stations that wish to do so. We seek alternative ways to reach with our broadcasts those part of the country where we haven't been present in the past. We are trying to somehow return Radio Senta on the air.
On the International scene, we will try to spread information about endangered independent press media and find new assistance models. The next step should be the establishment of a parallel structure, including a print works and a distribution network.
Do you have return information about how local station in the south of Serbia receive B92 programs, since it is an urban radio station from Belgrade?
B92 is not anymore an urban station run by young enthusiasts who are not always incredibly serious, but a professional electronic medium. Local stations mostly rebroadcast news programs. recently, however, some have begun to rebroadcast a show scheduled on Fridays between three and four. It is full of politics, but at the same time it is also entertaining. That program has been very successful although it is produced by the most urban team in our station.
Do you plan to start a TV station?
Radio B92 has submitted a request for a TV frequency and we will insist on that request. However, we are trying to make a system that is as rational and profitable as possible for various local broadcasters. Our plans are not directly related to setting up a television station but to set up a package of programs that could be used by other local stations to build their programs around them.
At the moment, we are trying to secure good quality foreign program that would be broadcasted by all ANEM members. In parallel with that, we have been sending them interview from our video production. Every day we also send a story relevant for that day.
We have reached a phase in which we will form a production studio and a TV team that would be capable to produce national news programs. The whole idea is to produce a package of programs that could be used by every local station as a basis of a good and profitable programming.
Where do you see B92 in ten years, both in case this regime is ousted from power and if the present rulers are still in power?
Radio B92 will not deviate from the basis of its editorial policy in neither of those two cases. It is unlikely that in ten years Yugoslav society will have changed so much to make a station like B92 or a network like ANEM obsolete. We are an institution that fights for the respect of the universal human rights declaration.
Here, in ten years, men will still beat women, there will be problems with homosexuals, with various minorities. This country has been destroyed so much and is so far under the level where other east European countries are that a lot of patience and will will be necessary to fix our society.
Those who are endangered, the University and the media, have been fighting seriously. The reason why they do not have a significant base in the masses is the fragmentation of the opposition parties. The opposition cannot articulate a serious movement and energy. The independent media have emerged in the space that used to be covered by the opposition and that is why we are now exposed to attacks," says Matic.