Local language radio and TV play an important role in keeping minority communities informed and in touch with each other. The Serb community in Kosovo, approximately 120,000 strong, makes up around 6% of the total population of the newly independent country. While half of the population live in northern Kosovo where they are the majority, the remainder live in scattered and often isolated communities in central and southern Kosovo. Previously, they Local Serb language radio and TV play an important role in keeping these communities informed and in touch with each other. They often had to rely on television and radio from Serbia which seldom discussed issues and news from their communities. When they did it was frequently with a viewpoint from the capital of Serbia and phrased in terms of the political conflict between Serbia and Kosovo.
With support from the IREX Strengthening Independent Minority Media [7]program, the TV Mreza network was created in 2008 to link local television stations together to develop a sustainable and professional approach to local news and information for this minority community. November 3rd marked the latest development in the evolution of this network. Two of the network’s member stations, TV Mir in the northern town of Leposavic and TV Puls [8] in Silovo in the south are producing “Jutnarji Program”, or "Morning Show", with assistance from the New Press production company which provides the hub facilities for the network near Pristina, Kosovo’s capital.
In addition to “Jutnarji Program”, the four member stations share the "Kosnet-Info [9]" weekly magazine program, produced by TV Puls and TV Herc in Strpce. New Press Productions produces a weekly talk show, “Slobodno Srpski [10]” which interviews politicians and cultural leaders from both the Kosovo Albanian and Kosovo Serb communities. TV Most in Zvecan produces a weekly program for the Roma in Kosovo, “Anglunipe” (“Future"). The stations also continue to exchange news items on a daily basis, so Serbs in Kosovo can keep up with what’s going on in the other Serb communities throughout the country.
Developing joint programming is also important for developing TV Mreza as a business. “When I present to potential advertisers I have to be able to show them something they know will reach all Serbs in Kosovo, something they will be proud to have linked with their brand”, says TV Mreza marketing manager Stanko Pevac. “We are now beginning to get together a portfolio of programs which are well designed and shot and of good editorial quality”. Next in line is a “What’s On” program for young people, and entertainment and music shows, helping TV’s “Jutnarji Program’’ bring Kosovo’s Serbian speakers closer together.