[FoME] Conference: Media in Southeast Europe

[Sofie Jannusch]

„Media in Southeast Europe“

Trends and Challenges

Bonn, 22 / 23 November 2010

Conference Venue: Deutsche Welle, Bonn

Conference Language: English 

 

In the last 20 years media in Southeast Europe have made progress in
many respects. Media markets are liberalized and pluralistic; state
censorship as it happened during communist time does not exist any
longer. Yet, journalists are still severely challenged by a number of
structural problems. Instead of political censorship high degrees of
dependency on economic interest groups are the concerns of today. Not
automatically did the variety of the media landscape in the region lead
to a qualitative improvement of journalism, but often to Infotainment of
the media in which “sensationalisation” of information is a top
priority.

Media laws, which foresee draconic penalties, are effective mechanisms
of self censorship.

Expectancies that the presence of foreign media companies will
automatically improve the quality of journalism did not materialize
mostly due to the fact that many foreign media suppliers mainly focus on
quota and circulation. Still, the Southeast European countries find
themselves in low scale positions in the ranking list of „Reporters
without Borders” – a fact that indicates only limited progress of
the media so far.

Which general trends can be observed in the media in South-eastern
Europe? How do journalists of the region meet the current challenges? To
what extent do members of the political and economic elite try to use
the media for their own purposes and interests? How can the role of
foreign media companies be defined? How could the situation of
journalists be improved?

The organisers of the conference have asked outstanding experts to
discuss the state of play and to provide answers to these questions.

 

For detailed programme see:
http://www.suedosteuropa-gesellschaft.com/pdf_2010/ankuendigung/program_media.pdf


 





A. Sofie Jannusch
Catholic Media Council
P.O.Box 10 21 04
52021 Aachen
Fon: **49-241-70 13 12 12
skype: sofie.jannusch
Fax:  **49-241-70 13 12 33
Email: sofie.jannusch at cameco.org
Internet: http://www.cameco.org