Description
Book SynopsisThis book compares the results of twenty years of international media assistance in the five countries of the western Balkans. It asks what happens to imported models when they are applied to newly evolving media systems in societies in transition. Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Serbia undertook a range of media reforms to conform with accession requirements of the European Union and the standards of the Council of Europe, among others. The essays explore the nexus between the democratic transformation of the media and international media assistance in these countries. The cross-national analysis concludes that the effects of international assistance are highly constrained by local contexts. In hindsight it becomes clear that escalating media assistance does not necessarily improve outcomes. In the western Balkans imported solutions have not been sensitive to local conditions, and international strategies have tended to be schematic, without strategic approaches to promote media policy stability, credible media reform or implementation. The book offers valuable insights into the nature and effects of media assistance and the strategies of international aid agencies, local political forces, media professionals, civil society organizations and other actors.
Table of ContentsList of Tables List of Figures Preface Acknowledgements List of Abbreviations Chapter 1: International Assistance and Media Democratization in the Western Balkans: A Theoretical Framework Kristina Irion and Tarik Jusić Chapter 2: Limited Assistance for Limited Impact—International Media Assistance in Albania Ilda Londo Chapter 3: Media Reform through Intervention: International Media Assistance in Bosnia and Herzegovina Tarik Jusić and Nidžara Ahmetašević Chapter 4: Starting from Scratch: The Role of Media Assistance in the Establishment of Independent Media Institutions in Kosovo Naser Miftari Chapter 5: Assisting Media Democratization after Low-Intensity Conflict: The Case of Macedonia Tamara Dimitrijevska-Markoski and Zhidas Daskalovski Chapter 6: Media Reforms in Turbulent Times: The Role of Media Assistance in the Establishment of Independent Media Institutions in Serbia Davor Marko Chapter 7: Looking for Shortcuts? Assistance to—and Development of—Public Service Broadcasting in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Albania Mark Thompson Chapter 8: The Uncertain Future: Centers for Investigative Journalism in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia Nevena Ršumović Chapter 9: Building Media Systems in the Western Balkans: Lost between Models and Realities Katrin Voltmer Chapter 10: Conclusions: A Cross-National Comparison of International Assistance and Media Democratization in the Western Balkans Kristina Irion and Tarik Jusić Bibliography About the Authors Index
