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The OBN Update is a brief newsletter which aims to provide all those interested with a snapshot of developments in the Open Broadcast Network. The update is produced jointly by the Office of the High Representative (OHR) in Sarajevo and the OBN Project Assistance Team (PAT).
- The Governing Council of the Open Broadcast Network (OBN) met in Brussels on 25 February to discuss plans for Stage 2 of the network development. Following presentations on the programming, technical and business aspects of the development plan, international donors pledged the funds necessary to cover the US$ 7.4 million investment recommended by the Project Assistance Team (PAT) for the network's 2 year consolidation phase.
- Pledges included US $ 2 million from the European Commission, over US $ 1.1 million from the US, US $ 1 million from the Open Society Institute, 2 million Crowns from Sweden, DM 500.000 from Germany and US $ 200.000 from Norway, as well as substantive contributions from Stage 1 donors including Japan, UK, Canada, Luxembourg and Ireland. New donors included Denmark, Norway and the OSCE. Disbursement of many of these pledges will be subject to the satisfactory development of the network, and some of them await final political approval. A meeting of Donors representatives will take place on 15 April at OHR Brussels.
- Members of the Steering Committee (SC) of the Open Broadcast Network Governing Council met in Sarajevo on 26 March. Those present agreed on the need for a clear, timely and transparent procedure for the control and disbursement of funds, which would be acceptable to all donors. They also agreed on the need for those engaged with the project, particularly the project management and local employees, to accept the direction, advice and authority of the SC.
Appreciation was expressed for the big contribution to the project of Alyson Scott and Mike Furlong of the Project Assistance Team. Mike Challenger, as Operations Director, would now be in charge of the management of the project on the ground, working closely with the programme executives at the Sarajevo hub and the affiliates.
It was also decided that two committees should be formed to deal with recruitment and selection for the posts of CEO and Director of Programmes which were now being advertised. The target date for having the CEO in place was set for 12 May 1997.
- A survey in the "Vecernje Novine" media supplement of 21 March addressed the issue of the popularity in the city of Tuzla of a number of TV anchors and programmes in a number of categories. Danijela Bozic, from TVIN's Tuzla affiliate TVT, was voted the most popular anchor of a news programme, beating to the spot such seasoned pros as TV BiH's senior anchor Senad Hadzifejzovic. TV Tuzla youth and music programme "Atlantis", which also goes out on TVIN, was voted best show in this category, ahead of similar offerings from TV BiH, Croatian TV and Tuzla Canton TV. In the political magazine category, TVT/TVIN's "Telering", the weekly political debate show, came first ahead of the political programmes offered by TV BiH, Croatian TV and others.
- The OSCE's Media Development Office in Sarajevo commissioned in February a national survey of Bosnia and Herzegovina which was conducted by the Bosnian firm Prism Research covering Sarajevo, Zenica, Mostar, Tuzla, Banja Luka, Bihac and Pale, among others.
The survey determined that the percent of respondents who said they follow the news on television almost every day, or 1-2 days per week to be
|
Federation
(Bosniac areas) |
Tuzla |
Federation
(Croat areas) |
RS |
| (1) |
(2) |
(1) |
(2) |
(1) |
(2) |
(1) |
(2) |
| TV news (general) |
89 |
--- |
94 |
--- |
87 |
--- |
81 |
--- |
| OBN /TV Info |
54 |
60 |
46 |
48 |
15 |
18 |
4 |
5 |
| Municipal TV |
67 |
74 |
76 |
80 |
56 |
65 |
50 |
61 |
| RTV BiH |
86 |
96 |
92 |
98 |
24 |
28 |
10 |
12 |
| SRT TV |
12 |
13 |
4 |
5 |
13 |
15 |
80 |
99 |
| HRT |
27 |
30 |
12 |
12 |
88 |
100 |
24 |
30 |
% of all respondents
% of those who follow TV news 1-2 days/week or more
While these data cannot be taken too literally, the results were striking in showing that TV-INFO has built up a strong share of the Federation news audience within six months, and it is strongest where the local affiliate is strong, as in Tuzla. The low figures within the RS show the strong need for the Banja Luka affiliate to be built up, as is envisaged under the plans for Stage 2.
n Mr. Richard Dill and Mr. Sven-Olof Ekholm of the EBU mission for Bosnia and Herzegovina met with OHR as the chair of the OBN Governing Council in Sarajevo on 4 April. Both sides agreed on the need to promote a dual national broadcasting system in BiH consisting of both commercial and public service programme providers as well as the need to create an effective regulatory framework for private and public broadcasters. Both sides acknowledged the importance of democratic and free media in the rebuilding of BiH and agreed to co-operate closely on these issues.
The OBN Project Assistance Team
Tel. 387 71 460 536
Fax 387 71 460 534
Office of the High Representative
Public Affairs Office
Tel. 387 71 447 275
Fax 387 71 447 420
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