Vranje – A survey conducted by the Association of Local and Independent Media “Local Press” in early April showed that the coronavirus pandemic and the state of emergency introduced in response to the epidemic were threatening to endanger the survival of local media in Serbia in the coming month.

Only 10 percent of the surveyed local media said that they could not survive during the next three months without the assistance provided by the state or donors, while 30% of them said that they had the financial means to maintain their operation only during the next month.

As many as two-thirds of the surveyed confirmed that the survival of their newspaper houses was seriously brought into question. 

The gloomiest data refer to the electronic media, where as many as 87% of the surveyed recognize that their survival is in jeopardy, followed by 77% of the print media and finally 64% of the online media, which, for the time being, are the least affected.

The most common reasons for their low solvency include reduced sales of their advertising space, cancellation of advertisers' contracts and delays and non-payment of donation funds.

In trying to adjust to the new situation, the print local media take the lead in restrictions, which results in the stoppage of printing or in reduced number of pages, while as many as 47% of the surveyed ceased publishing information in the print form and switched to online and PDF editions.  

A similar situation is with local television and radio stations, which have reduced the extent of media coverage, canceled specific programs or continued to broadcast only service information (37%).

Half of the local portals that participated in the survey stated that, for the time being, they would continue to operate at the same pace, while 20% of them reduced the number of produced information, 8% of them began to publish only service information and 16% of them switched to providing information via social networks.

Not only the economic survival of the local media, caused by a lack of funds, is in jeopardy, but the local media also have difficulties with receiving timely and true information.

Slightly less than half (41%) of the surveyed editors and journalists said that it had been harder for them to get information from the local institutions since the introduction of the state of emergency.  

In addition, more than half (54.6%) of those surveyed noted that local institutions favored certain media when providing information.

Local media mostly complain about the information they receive from hospitals, clinical centers and health centers, from which, they say, they fail to get the information that is, at the moment, important to the local citizens. 

The survey conducted by the Association of Local and Independent Media "Local Press" included 46 local media outlets, which are members of the Association.  

Source: OK Radio and Coordination Body