OSCE Mission to Serbia supports regional conference on media, marketing and business

BELGRADE, 18 June 2008 - More than a hundred media professionals and experts from the region gathered in Belgrade today to discuss the media business environment and ways to improve regional co-operation in the field.

The international conference "Media, Marketing and Business", will feature roundtable discussions on the media situation in Southern and Eastern Europe, including strengthening editorial independence, the transparency of ownership, improving self-regulation and the legal framework, as well as the role of advertisers.

"Financially independent and professional media are vital for any democratic society. Media inform and engage citizens through the free flow of information that advances democratic and economic development," said Ambassador Hans Ola Urstad, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia.

"We hope that this event will help journalists conduct their work in a more professional manner. The OSCE Mission will continue to support the country's efforts aimed at reforming the media sector."

The conference, which is a part of the World Congress of the International Press Institute, was organized by the South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO) and supported by the OSCE Mission to Serbia, the United States Agency for International Development, and the Austrian Development Agency.