Debate of Media Managers: How is Quality Possible in the Crisis? - Media Programme Southeast Europe
Event Reports
Press freedom, ethical standards and new editorial trends depend to a large extent on the economics foundations of the media. The theme of the 9th South East Europe Media Forum (SEEMF) in Bucharest on 5th and 6th November 2015 was how good journalism can be produced in difficult media markets. The largest meeting of the industry in the region was attended by 250 leading journalists, publishers and media experts from 24 countries, from Albania to the United States. The KAS Media Program South East Europe is one of three organizing bodies.
In the media landscape of South East Europe two types of media outlets are particularly evident: large traditional publishers and broadcasters, often in the hands of owners not connected with the industry, who exercise political and economic influence through their media possessions. Not infrequently, the true owners are not known. On the other side, there is an increasing number of online news sites and investigative start-ups, which fill the gaps in diversity of opinion and critical journalism.
An additional challenge is that in many countries of the region there are more media titles in existence in relation to population size than in Western Europe, and media users’ willingness to pay is lower. As hosts, the KAS, the South East European Media Organisation (SEEMO) and the Central European Initiative (CEI) posed the question of how quality media can finance themselves in these circumstances. "Only if media have a secure financial basis and a professional business model can they be independent, and concentrate on their core activity of helping citizens to form their own opinions on the basis of verified information," said Christian Spahr, Director of the KAS Media Program South East Europe, in opening the conference. Margot Klestil-Löffler, Alternate Secretary General of the CEI, emphasised the significance of cross-border and investigative research in advancing democracy in countries in transition. The opening session was chaired by SEEMF founder and SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujović.
More in the report.
