Macedonian media at an all time low

Freedom of media is at its lowest point in 20 years in Macedonia, reported Xhelal Neziri, coordinator of the IMS-supported investigative journalism network SCOOP at this year’s Global Investigative Journalism Conference in Kyiv

Together with more than 50 Eastern European and Central Asian colleagues affiliated with SCOOP, he took part in the conference between 13 – 16 October.

“Within the last six months, four media: A1 TV, and the newspapers Vreme, Spic, and Koha e Re have been shut down by Macedonian authorities. There are only two independent media left, the online media Netpress and weekly Focus.

There is no room for critical journalism in the eyes of the authorities and the journalists from these media outlets are now unemployed. Those who worked for the TV station A1 are banned by authorities from being hired elsewhere.”

According to Xhelal Nezeri, funding is needed from outside the country to help Macedonian journalists carry out investigative journalism and grants such as those provided by SCOOP have been crucial. However, the programme is closing down grants to Macedonia in the beginning of 2012, leaving very few means for any new investigations in the country as no media would support or publish articles critical of the authorities.

Together with colleagues, Xhelal Nezeri has now set up an investigative journalism center in Macedonia which he hopes will provide some support to continuous investigative journalism n the country.