INDEPENDENT JOURNALS "DEVOURING" EACH OTHER

Editors of "Nasa Borba" dismissed, and a new daily "Danas" announced

Many believe that, after all, two journals with the same profile in such a scanty market, in such numerous irregular circumstances and difficulties, can hardly be successful. It will be a search for new solutions and certainly a search for readers from without the existing circle. The current circulation of "Nasa Borba" of 25 thousand copies could hardly be "divided" to mutual satisfaction.

AIM Belgrade, January 7, 1996

A small field, numerous players - it will be a bad performance. This is how in the past few days, almost fearful, connoisseurs of the cramped independent journalism in Serbia comment on dismissals of three editors in "Nasa Borba" and their decision to start a new independent daily newspaper called "Borba Danas" or just "Danas" (Today). Dismissals coincided with the anniversary of the struggle of "Nasa Borba" with the regime. At the same time, they probably mark a breathing space (if not even the end) in the struggle of the editorial staff with the private owner of the journal Dusan Mijic, which broke out last October in a strike which lasted for a few days.

Concessions and punishments

Just a reminder, journalists of "Nasa Borba", the only independent daily in Serbia, went on strike against the owner who had previously, in a clash against the Serb authorities, been a natural ally and savior. The reason for the strike was the attempt of the owner to suspend the right of the editorial staff to participate in the election of the editor-in-chief. On one side was a private entrepreneur who was engaged in trading with agricultural goods and did not agree to division of property rights, and on the other was a self-conscious editorial staff with its own editorial policy and clearly outlined feature on the market - which had waited for eight months for adequate premises, regular salaries, computers, fees, photo-laboratory, telephone lines, vehicles...

The conviction of the journalists that their colleagues from abroad and various institutions were sending money for the journal (and that the owner was using it for his own transactions) was corroborated by the statement of Secretary General of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) from Brussels, Aden White, that "a significant sum of money" was paid to "Nasa Borba". He believed that journalists of "Nasa Borba" ought to be informed about external sources of financing (which was not the case so far) and that it was necessary to redefine the future ownership relations in the journal.

Finally, the last drop was the decision of Dusan Mijic to nominate unpopular Branislav Milosevic, former deputy director of "Nasa Borba", for the new editor-in-chief. The strike ended when Mirko Klarin, one of the two "Nasa Borba"'s foreign correspondents, was appointed acting editor-in-chief, as some kind of a "buffer". But along with fulfillment of the following requirements as well: improvement of working conditions, respect of the right of the editorial staff to participate in selection of the editor-in-chief, realization of the long promised ownership transformation, in which Mijic's "hundred per cent" would be slightly chipped in the interest of journalists-owners in the share-holding company to be.

While negotiations lasted, a decision was reached which in fact caused the unpleasant denouement.

• When we decided to go on strike, we also reached a decision to form a group which would seek an alternative solution and see to it that the journal would be published even if it turned out that conditions for publishing our newspaper ceased to exist in Mijic's "Fininvest" - Zdravko Huber, President of the Executive Board of the Trade Union of "Nasa Borba" says nowadays.

After the strike had ended, members of the "alternative" group (21 founder, 19 employees of "Nasa Borba") registered a new firm called "Dangraf", an alternative solution which was the formal reason for the owner first to suspend in the middle of December, and then to dismiss from work only some of the founders: deputies of the editor-in-chief, Grujica Spasovic, Radivoj Cvijeticnin, Bozidar Andrejic and Dusan Mitrovic, head of investments.

When the Executive Board of the Trade Union of "Nasa Borba" was expected to give its view concerning the suspension, it turned out that the management had managed in the meantime to blunt the radicalism of the editorial staff by a combination of concessions (partial fulfillment of demands) and punishments - dismissals from work. When the fact that the alternative group, whose leaders have now been punished, was not convincing in preparations of the new journal, and that the journalists were seized by "fatigue of material" due to all the conflicts in the past year - almost as expected, no serious rebellion occurred.

Who will stifle whom?

Dusan Mijic made certain concessions in the meantime: salaries have become more regular, although still low, computers were bought, although not as many as expected, since a few days ago the journal is published on 24 pages and not just 16 as before. Some correspondent offices were opened (Zagreb, Sarajevo, Prishtina), outstanding fees were paid. Dusan Mijic proposed that Misa Brkic be appointed editor-in-chief, which had been the proposal of the editorial staff in the first place (he was also among the rebels) and the staff accepted it. The most painful issue of ownership transformation remained intact. It was agreed that an expert group should work on the problem, but it has not even met yet. "Nasa Borba" is still "hundred per cent" Mijic's property. The initial radicalism was blunted, the conflict is not as severe as it used to be.

Most of the editorial team which had fought the battle with the authorities in December 1994 and established the current orientation of the journal, does not exist any more, although its conception, with just certain slight changes, is still followed.

Zdravko Huber is now wondering what editorial autonomy actually means in a privately-owned journal, and whether it should in fact have an even firmer manager than the regime used to be. And he reminds that when they stood up to the regime that December, they were treated as free and conscious journalists. Nowadays, when they still seek editorial autonomy, they are criticized as "self-managers", as persons unable to adapt to the new era and new ownership relations.

What do members of the "alternative" group say?

• Before threats began, suspensions, and then dismissals, our initiative was frozen. We registered "Dangraf" by order of the trade union and waited which of our demands would be fulfilled. Now, with his move, Mijic almost forced us resort to it again, he made us take it seriously. We know nothing else but to make a newspaper. Many express fear that we might stifle "Nasa Borba" with our journal, but that we will not be able to survive either. However, we are not responsible for it - Radivoje Cvijeticanin says.

• At the moment there is only one independent daily in Serbia which completely depends on Dusan Mijic. And we believe that he is not the right kind od person for it, being a food merchant. We are a share-holding company, we will include other people, of course, financial assistance is necessary, but we will never again give the control package of shares to anyone. We have had quite a few attractive offers, but after this experience - we have no intention of trusting anyone - Grujica Spasovic says.

According to his words, the first phase in preparation of the new journal is completed, premises have been found, printing works, newsprint, and all the equipment has been provided, but it is impossible to say when the new journal will appear in news-stands. Many people in "Nasa Borba", it should be said for the sake of the truth, doubt that "Danas" will ever appear.

It will be more interesting to see what will be happening on such a poor market such as the Serb, if it does appear. Is there enough space for two daily newspapers which count on the same target group? Opinions vary.

Gordana Logar, the former editor-in-chief of "Nasa Borba" believes that there is enough space for another daily, but that it will be more difficult than in other parts of former Yugoslavia, where a market does exist. There has been enough of pursuing high policy, noone is interested in that any more, she says.

The newly appointed editor-in-chief, Misa Brkic, also thinks that there is enough space for both journals and that the market has not been covered.

• We would like to have ompetition, we leave it to the readers to decide about it. The most important thing for me is that publishing of "Nasa Borba" will go on, and majority of the people in the staff think so. Of course, I would like everything to be much better, but this is where we live, and one must be aware of it - the new editor says.

Nevertheless, many think that two journals of the same profile can hardly be successful on such a scanty market, in such numerous irregular circumstances and difficulties. It will be a search for new solutions and certainly a search for readers outside the existing circle. The current circulation of "Nasa Borba" of 25 thousand copies can hardly be "divided" to mutual satisfaction.

In the whole story about "Borba", "Nasa Borba" and "Borba Danas", the only one which peacefuly and comfortably lives is the first one, snatched by the regime. It is published in 12 thousand copies, and only about two thousand are sold. It "devours" 760 thousand German marks out of the federal budget. The independent journals seem to be "devouring" each other.

(AIM) Gordana Igric