Serbian broadcaster B92 serves as an example of the vitality and evolution of radio.

This is exactly why today it is under siege.

As a leading investigative journalist in Serbia, B92’s Brankica Stanković has been under heavy police protection since December last year, due to threats from neofascist criminal groups masquerading as sports fans.

They have been terrorising the country for years, but first made their notorious reputation as members of paramilitary formations during the outbreak of war in the Balkans in the nineties.

A greater problem, however, are the “big shots! who have been exposed in recent years by this courageous woman on her show Insider, a B92 series of investigative journalism akin to MacIntyre’s hard-hitting UK investigations.

For over two years, the B92 building has been under permanent police protection to guard against possible attackers who appear to have issues with B92’s unbiased, professional and in-depth coverage of controversial issues affecting Serbian society.
B92 representatives frequently go to court to answer accusations in libel cases levelled against the broadcaster by criminals exposed by our investigative journalism.

Our radio network has brought about the creation of a network of independent TV stations; it has forged ahead with Internet convergence and spawned a network of networks involving non-governmental institutions and free-speech movements.
One important member of the B92 family, originating from Radio B92’s PSA campaigns and socially responsible initiatives, is the B92 Fund.

Some of the most successful projects of the B92 Fund include: campaigns promoting breast cancer prevention, including the purchase last year of a mobile digital mammograph thanks to donations by B92 partners; the construction of 4 safe houses in Serbia for victims of family violence, and Food for All — the collection of food for soup kitchens and donations to open new soup kitchens to alleviate the impact of the financial crisis.

B92 is innovative in using social networks and citizen journalism. When combined with the experience, mettle and audacity of B92 journalists acquired during the Balkan wars under Milošević’s totalitarian regime, this yields quality both in mainstream and new media programme content.

Next year, the production basis for all B92 media outlets, particularly B92 Radio and TV B92, will be the multimedia web platform. B92 has always made every effort to remain one step ahead of the media crowd, relying on fresh ideas and an innovative approach to broadcast operations.

B92 has been hit particularly hard by the crisis, which is further compounded by a growing reluctance on the part of media-buying agencies and clients representing local tycoons to advertise on B92 in retaliation for the investigative shows that expose their shady dealings.

Neither investigative journalism nor socially responsible programmes can compete with light entertainment or reality shows in generating audience ratings and market share. Advertising agencies, therefore, show far less interest in such content.
Other countries of the Balkans have similar media companies, which is why we have turned recently to European institutions for assistance.

For over two years we have been calling on the international community to show solidarity with media that are crucial for the development of civil society in their respective countries.

The idea would be to set up a loan fund which would grant favourable loans to broadcasters and print media in the region in order to help them survive the crisis and continue performing their key role as public interest watchdogs.
Unfortunately, it is the tendency of the international community not to recognise a problem until after its escalation, i.e. the point at which it becomes much harder to make a difference.

In the case of independent media, this might well spell disaster.

Not only did such media outlive the criminal and totalitarian regimes, but they made crucial contributions to the overthrow of such regimes and to halting the brutal wars of the nineties. Their survival is key to European integration and to the democratisation of the Balkans. The fate of these societies depends on the fate of such media.

Veran Matic is president of the board of directors of B92

For more on B92, get Radio Redux, the new issue of Index on Censorship, out now