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Current Affairs TV Debates

27 November 2006  
BIRN is producing a weekly current affairs programme “Life in Kosovo”, that is transmitted on Radio Television Kosova, RTK. The programme includes field reportage on the issues at hand, direct questioning of decision-makers, affected parties, and studio debate. It covers the most important political and social issues unfolding on a weekly basis in Kosovo.
 
Topics chosen are closely following government activities, the legislative process in the Kosovo parliament, and issues relating to Kosovo’s non-Albanian communities, as well as the economy, property rights, human rights and decentralisation of government.
 

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Success Stories

28 November 2006  The reporting by BIRN staff during the March riots in Kosovo was praised by many institutions and was used as a balanced and accurate resource by several international media outlets.

Jeta Xharra, director of BIRN Kosovo gave first-hand reports to BBC Newsnight, BBC News24, BBC World as well as US National Public Radio, Deutche Welle, Radio France International and the Canadian Broadcasting Cooperation.

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Balkan insight

10 November 2006  
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BIRN Kosovo Project

27 November 2006  

BIRN Kosovo aims to help bring down barriers to the territory’s stability and integration into Europe through the provision of information, training and challenging current affairs TV programming in local media, which encourages public dialogue.
 
The critical issue of Kosovo’s final status remains in the way of its political and economic re-integration into the Balkans and the wider European community. It impedes any serious international investment in Kosovo, while organised crime gains an increasing hold and paralysing corruption appears endemic. De facto lines of partition between Serb and Albanian communities are becoming ever more stark.
 

Within the majority Albanian community, political rivalries are intense and cripple progress in all areas. In addition, the international UNMIK administration has come under heavy criticism for its failure to deliver more in terms of improving infrastructure and basic services. Years into the UN administration of Kosovo, electricity cuts are still a daily occurrence.

Nevertheless, the question of the territory’s status is now thawed, opening up dialogue on past events, minority rights and the future make-up of Kosovo. However, potential also exists for instability from those unlikely to be pleased with the final status outcome.
 
And whatever the results of final status - other key problems will remain. Kosovo has weak public institutions, no macro-economic vision and neither the police nor courts function well. In addition, the territory plays host to lazy and unaccountable local government and a politicised university.
 
BIRN Kosovo’s approach
 
BIRN is the leading media development organisation in Kosovo, specialising in investigative reporting, journalism training and TV broadcasts.
 
Its reporting for BIRN’s Balkan Insight covers the key political, social and economic issues facing the territory. Investigations and analyses have covered developments and dynamics rarely tackled by other media, while involvement in the BIRN Network has ensured regional, cross-border context.
 
In response to pressing needs for media professionalisation, BIRN Kosovo developed a practical training module - the Primary Level Journalism course - now used across the BIRN network. The first course in the series attracted 220 applications when it was first advertised in February 2004, since when 28 journalists have graduated and published their training articles.
 
Reflecting the influence of television in Kosovo, BIRN has since 2003 been tackling the dearth in good current affairs programming in the region by partnering with local broadcasters to produce regular news analysis and debate shows . These employ vigilant moderation, related reportage and challenging studio questions in order to fulfil a watchdog role that Kosovo’s society and government badly need.
 
In addition, BIRN Kosovo is in the latter part of 2005 leading a regional network project to produce a one-hour documentary examining the question of Kosovo’s status in-depth, casting the spotlight on the way politicians treat the concerns of ordinary people affected by it .

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