Serbian and Kosovo journalists discuss common issues
(Lubomir Kotek/OSCE)The OSCE Mission to Kosovo provides training for journalists in many radio stations across the province, April 2000. (Lubomir Kotek/OSCE) Photo details
PRISTINA, 11 November 2003 - A follow-up meeting to establish an information network between Serbian and Kosovo editors-in-chief, media executives and leading journalists has started this morning in Skopje.
The aim of the conference, organized by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and the Vienna-based South East European Media Organization (SEEMO), is to foster dialogue between media professionals from the region on an institutional level.
"The Skopje meeting is a continuation of the dialogue initiated in May 2003 when journalists and media executives from Serbia proper and Kosovo met to discuss their common concerns," said Friedhelm Frischenschlager, Director of the OSCE Mission's Democratization Department.
"This broke a decade-long period of silence and the conference proved to be a success."
Topics to be discussed during thetwo-day event will include freedom of the media, editorial policy and relations with the government as well as professional questions of contemporary journalism and the media situation in both Serbia proper and Kosovo.
The first conference resulted in contacts and professional co-operation between participants. This included a mutual exchange of information that enabled both sides to be better informed on the latest region-wide developments. It is hoped that this conference will bring even better results in this important field of regional stability and co-operation.
SEEMO is a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in southeastern Europe, and is an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI).
The Austrian Foreign Ministry financially supported this conference, with further assistance from the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro and the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje.
As part of its mandate the OSCE has organized and supported a number of visits, meetings and conferences for media professionals from Kosovo, Serbia proper and the region at large as a way to enhance mutual understanding of different communities and serving as a way for future regional integration.
The aim of the conference, organized by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and the Vienna-based South East European Media Organization (SEEMO), is to foster dialogue between media professionals from the region on an institutional level.
"The Skopje meeting is a continuation of the dialogue initiated in May 2003 when journalists and media executives from Serbia proper and Kosovo met to discuss their common concerns," said Friedhelm Frischenschlager, Director of the OSCE Mission's Democratization Department.
"This broke a decade-long period of silence and the conference proved to be a success."
Topics to be discussed during thetwo-day event will include freedom of the media, editorial policy and relations with the government as well as professional questions of contemporary journalism and the media situation in both Serbia proper and Kosovo.
The first conference resulted in contacts and professional co-operation between participants. This included a mutual exchange of information that enabled both sides to be better informed on the latest region-wide developments. It is hoped that this conference will bring even better results in this important field of regional stability and co-operation.
SEEMO is a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in southeastern Europe, and is an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI).
The Austrian Foreign Ministry financially supported this conference, with further assistance from the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro and the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje.
As part of its mandate the OSCE has organized and supported a number of visits, meetings and conferences for media professionals from Kosovo, Serbia proper and the region at large as a way to enhance mutual understanding of different communities and serving as a way for future regional integration.