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TS News - Independent TV For Bosnia

TELE-satellit News, 28 August 1996

Independent TV For Bosnia
  ROME, Italy, 96/08/26 (TS) -- The international community is currently
gathering funds needed for financing an independent TV network for Bosnia
and Hercegovina in view of the upcoming elections. Local independent TV
channels RTV Studio 99 i Hadzat (from Sarajevo), ZETEL, TV Tuzla and TV
Mostar will take part in this project.

  The American and Japanese governments as well as the EU have already
earmarked 10,4 million dollars, and according to some sources, the American
government has already donated equipment for the above mentioned TV stations
worth around 2 million dollars.

  The international community has asked the government of Bosnia and
Hercegovina to take a full time 3-year lease on a transponder, on one of the
Intelsat satellites. Also a request has been made for time on terrestrial
transmitters.

  According to the organizers of this project, this private TV network
should enable the development of a pluralistic, professional and
multicultural medium which will in turn aid the development of democracy in
Bosnia and Hercegovina. The latest news is that the new channel will soon
start broadcasting, despite protests from the government.

  Currently, 7 TV stations and 24 radio stations are operating on the
territory controlled by the Moslem-Croat federation. In Sarajevo, Tuzla,
Gracanica i Breza local radio stations regularly retransmit programs from
Radio Free Europe, RFI, VOA, Deutsche Welle and the BBC. Last month, Radio
FERN (Radio Free Elections) started transmitting in Sarajevo. This station
is a joint project between OCSE and the Federal section of the Swiss
ministry for foreign affairs.

  By: Branislav Pekic


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