Skopje, 31 December 2014 – The existing three student radio stations – “Student FM”, “UKLO FM” and “UGD FM” of the universities in Skopje, Stip and Bitola, are presenting today the result of almost a ten-year continuity of the legal, regulated existence of the non-profit broadcasting sector in the Republic of Macedonia, established by the Law on Broadcasting of 2005.
The communication potential of the term – “non-profit broadcasting sector”, is by means of the experiences of developed European communication systems usually associated with its content focus, and appropriately it is entitled as “community medium.” Therefore, from that proven operational international experience, it becomes very noticeable that in this domain of the Macedonian communication system – a wide, insufficiently used social space for community media development opens. Namely, in the “Strategy for development of the broadcasting activity in the Republic of Macedonia in the period from 2013 to 2017”, it has also been emphasised that:
In order to facilitate the development of this sector in broadcasting, it is necessary to design a special concept for the development of the community media, in which emphasis will be placed on community radio. The concept should provide the parameters according whereto it will be determined which communities can meet their media needs through the community radio, whereby it also needs to be considered how this sector may also be used for development of multiculturalism and preservation and nurture of cultures of smaller ethnic communities.
In addition to this strategic commitment, the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services opens a public debate on the views, opinions and suggestions of all citizens and stakeholders, and provides as basis the data from comparative international experiences given in the original text entitled:„Non-profit media– community media”.
The debate will last until 20 March 2015. Please send your opinions and suggestions to the address of the Agency – Blvd. VMRO No.3, 1000 Skopje, or to the electronic address – contact@avmu.mk.