IREX Europe Consultant Richard Lucas
working on inception report in Belgrade,
Serbia.

Transforming Radio Television Serbia to a Public Service Broadcaster

IREX Europe is working in Serbia on a large EU-funded project to transform Radio Television Serbia to a true public service broadcaster. The project involves journalism and management training, and organisation, programme, and financial structure assistance. The project covers both television and radio.

IREX Europe is part of a consortium led by the BBC World Service Trust. The project is centred at RTS headquarters in Belgrade and will involve training in RTS bureaus and hubs across the country.

The two-and-a-half year project, funded by the European Agency for Reconstruction, delivers comprehensive in-house training in journalism, production, and management. A training needs assessment was carried out
in Summer 2007. The training programme begins in Autumn 2007.

IREX Europe’s key expert in the project is Richard Lucas, a former senior BBC staffer who has extensive experience of working with public broadcasters in the Balkans.

IREX Europe will be responsible for organising and implementing training in financial management, sales and marketing, on-air branding and promos, programme scheduling, and audience research.

IREX Europe will also provide a television newsroom consultant to work alongside editors and journalists for the duration of the project.

Selected RTS managers and staff will have the opportunity to undertake study tours of broadcasters in Europe to gain an insight into best practice working methods.

The project is designed to strengthen RTS’ professional capacities and public service values, as part of the wider reform and development of the media in Serbia.