A regional study examines the impact of the switchover to digital broadcasting in Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia.
This statement was originally published on seenpm.org on 6 April 2016.
When it comes to the digital switchover, it seems that the common feature across the South East Europe (SEE) region is the delay.
Out of the seven countries included in the study “Time Zero of the Digital Switchover in SEE”, only two managed to keep up with the initial plan and, by June 2015, there were still countries struggling with the digital switchover implementation and consequences.
The main findings of this regional study based on national reports of media experts in Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia are the following:
- the digital switchover cannot be related to the fact that some of the countries belonged to the EU while the rest are just aspiring members,
- the political control over the process exists across the region,
- a broader access to information has triggered a diminished amount of local news,
- there is an effort by local stations to identify cheaper alternatives to the costly digital broadcast
- the new gatekeepers are controlling the access of the public to information
- The report – the second in a series of six dedicated to freedom of expression in the region – is part of the program South East European Partnership for Media Development, implemented by a consortium of media organizations from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania.
Download the publication “Time Zero of the Digital Switchover in SEE.”
About SEE Partnership for Media Development
The partnership is aimed at bringing new stakeholders to the public debate related to media freedom and independence and at creating synergies between the media organizations and these stakeholders (trade unions, freedom of expression groups, teachers, parents, state actors, etc).
The project, to be conducted until 2017, addresses three main topics: labour conditions for journalists, media education (both for journalists and the public) and freedom of expression at large.
The project is co-funded by the The Civil Society Facility, Media Freedom and Accountability Programme, EuropeAid/134613/C/ACT/MULTI
For more information please contact: Ioana Avadani, project manager – ioana@cji.ro; + 4 0723 508278; Cristina Lupu, communication expert – cristina@cji.ro; + 4 0726 108245
