Final Program Report ProMedia II/Serbia Program (Cooperative Agreement No. CA#169-0022-A-00-9101-00) September 27, 1999 – June 30, 2007 (with addendum to cover extension period July 1, 2007 – September 30, 2008) Submitted October 8, 2007 Please direct any questions about this report to: Mark Whitehouse Director, Media Development Division IREX 2121 K Street, NW Suite 700 Washington, DC 20037 (202) 628-8188
[email protected] Final Program Report ProMedia II/Serbia Program CONTENTS I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY II. INTRODUCTION III. PROMEDIA II/SERBIA PROGRAM RESULTS FRAMEWORK IV. PROMEDIA II/SERBIA PROGRAM ACTIVITIES V. CONCLUSIONS AND LESSONS LEARNED Page 2 of 65 Final Program Report ProMedia II/Serbia Program I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The USAID-funded ProMedia II/Serbia program began in October 1999 as a follow-on to the ProMedia I program. It concluded on June 30, 2007. During this eight-year period in Serbia, the political context was a roller coaster for the media sector. Under Milosevic, the independent media was severely repressed. The Public Information Law was used as “legal” justification for confiscating equipment, imposing unrealistic fines, closing down media outlets and sending journalist and editors to prison. Immediately following the end of the Milosevic regime in October 2000, it was thought that more democratic laws that provided for access to information, a right to free speech, fair allocation of frequencies and license would be enacted. However, the newly elected government was not as supportive of media freedom as was anticipated. The independent media suffered severe economic pressures, a lack of a legal framework, political pressures and social pressures between 2001 and 2007.