Training by Mission to Serbia helps boost viability of local media

The current economic crisis has hit Serbia's media hard. With advertising revenues dwindling, all media outlets - whether public, national, local, privatized or funded by local self-governance bodies - have seen their marketing potential seriously reduced.

But the local community media are most badly stricken, finding themselves fighting for their very existence.

The situation is particularly precarious for the recently privatized local media. One third of state and municipally owned media have become private since Serbia began implementing the Broadcasting Law in 2002 and the Public Information Law in 2003, and many lack the skills to operate as income-generating businesses.

New commercial demands

Privatization of media was seen as a way to reduce state control and political influence on editorial policies, a view also supported by the OSCE. Yet lack of business skills, poor staff systematization and low income have created new difficulties for the recently privatized media, preventing them from achieving self-sustainability.

When media are exposed to constant political and economic pressures, their independence and pluralism can be easily jeopardized. In order to improve local radio and television stations' financial viability - an important pre-requisite for editorial independence - the OSCE Mission to Serbia's Media Department is providing them with training on basic marketing and sales techniques.

Regional training courses

The OSCE courses are part of a long-term Mission to Serbia project, launched in March 2008, aimed at increasing the marketing potential of local media in Serbia. More than 60 local media outlets from across the country have attended eight marketing seminars in the towns of Obrenovac, Vranje, Novi Pazar, Uzice, Zajecar and Kragujevac.

The participants learned how to conduct affordable audience research, identify target groups, analyse local market potential and recruit suitable marketing personnel. Other topics included motivating employees, branding, formatting and positioning local broadcasters, self-advertising and basic advertising sales techniques.

In addition, an internship programme for young and motivated marketing and sales staff working at Radio Sto Plus in Novi Pazar, in the Sadzak/Raska region, started in August 2009. An independent outlet in this highly politicized and economically underprivileged area of southwest Serbia, Radio Sto Plus has become an important and trusted objective monitor of the work of local authorities.

Interactive approach

Jelena Luetic, Marketing Manager at Radio Obrenovac, found the seminar held in the town of Obrenovac useful for her work. "I very much appreciated the lecturers' competence and interactive teaching style. The topics and statistics presented were an excellent tool for understanding Serbia's marketing business. Small, local radio stations rarely get the chance to learn about such practical issues - we just can't afford professional training," she said.

Mirjana Vasic, marketing manager at Sremska TV echoed the remarks: "I like the fact that complex marketing terms were explained in such a clear and simple way. We got useful answers to our questions."

Following the seminars, many participants were keen to seek follow-up training and maintain contact with the experts. "As I am interested in further training on marketing sales techniques, I hope the OSCE will continue the project and make it a truly long-term one," Luetic said.