Support to the media pluralism and co-financing of special programs
The objectives of this measure are: the development of media pluralism, support to realization of right of citizen to information, promotion and strengthening of media literacy, development of media scientific thought, then incentive to informing at local level, support to production of contents of public interests. Also, the activities within this measure has as its goal to contribute to informing on key questions of the process of inclusion of Roma and Egyptians into Montenegrin society. This measure implementation has also as a goal the respect of European directives concerning public financial aid to the media and international recommendations for social inclusion of Roma and Egyptians.
This measure refers to two areas of activity: the media programs of public interest and topic about Roma and Egyptian population.
As for the first field, Ministry of Culture, according to media laws and European standards (the recommendations of EU and international conventions) on financial support for the media and according to settled several-years practice, co-finances the contents of public importance (education, programs on minority languages, etc). The support to the development of media pluralism in the context of realization of freedom of speech is achieved through open competitions for co-financing of program contents in local print media and scientific journals for culture and media theory.
The second segment of this measure, media representation of key questions of integration of Roma population into Montenegrin society, is realized according to obligations from the project “The decade of Romas 2005-2015” and ‘’The strategy for social inclusion of Romas and Egyptians 2016-2020’’. It is conducted through annual Public call for the best research article on the topic ‘’Social integration of Romas in Montenegro’’ and recording audio and visual videos that demonstrate the improvement in key questions of inclusion.
The results of this measure are the contributions to the improvement of freedom of speech and quality and the diversity of program contents. What is also important for the development of the media pluralism is expected increase in number of local print media.
In the reporting period, from 75.000 to 120.000 euros were allocated annually for project co-financing in local print media and scientific journals for media theory and culture, as well as 10.000 euros for the realizations of obligations from “The strategy for social inclusion of Romas and Egyptians’’. In the period 2012-2016, 47 projects were co-financed in local print media and scientific journals for media culture and theory. Four awards were co-financed per Public call on the topic ‘’Social integration of Romas in Montenegro’’ and for audio-visual videos through which key questions of Roma-Egyptian population integration are represented.
Regarding evaluation of measures within the authority of Directorate for Media, they were conducted through annual work report of Ministry. It was concluded that they are to be realized in accordance with plan and that they should be continued as it was recommended (recommendations of EU and obligations from the strategies).