In June 2007 the Media Fund, a special grant-making programme financed by the EU, awarded a total of 1,65 million euro for 18 projects aimed at improving the quality of programming and investigative reporting in Serbia. The 18 awarded projects were selected out of 57 submitted proposals following the Call for Proposals launched in June 2006.

In addition to two new specialized news multimedia services producing a high volume of media output a total of 250 radio, TV and documentary programmes as well as 70 publications will be produced. In several cases the projects will lead to enhanced capacities of some of the media beneficiaries as well as their partners due to professional on-the-job training for employed journalists and technical staff that is foreseen to take place.

Over a period of 12 months the awarded media outlets and independent production companies will offer to the public in Serbia, through magazine and newspapers supplements, documentaries, radio and TV programmes and web portals, high quality media outputs covering diverse issues which the journalists will research during the course of the projects. Topics covered range from current political transition and reforms, rule of law, advantages of adopting EU standards and its impact on ordinary people lives to issues related to local community development, children and their rights as well as the different perspectives of local youth in towns across Serbia.

The overall objective of the Fund is to contribute to the development of a media sector in Serbia in line with the best European practices. The Fund, which is managed by the European Agency for Reconstruction and implemented by Press Now, specifically aims to enhance the quality of programming and investigative reporting of Serbian media.

For more information on the awarded projects please click on