|
ONLINE VERSION |
|
|
PRINT VERSION |
|
Can there be a multi-ethnic editorship?
 The post-conflict period in Tetovo has imposed a dilemma: can the journalists of different ethnic groups of this region, apart from all that has happened, to report together, that is, can there be and exist a multi-ethnic editorships?
The so far experiences in this field have been quite modest. Except for Radio Tetovo, which has been broadcasting programs in Macedonian, Albanian, and in Roma for a while, there has not been any other example of multi-ethnic cooperation among the journalists.
Example 1: This challenge was accepted by the foreign donors who found understanding (and enough assets of course), to form the CITY DESK editorship in March 2002. The editorship comprised both Macedonian and Albanian journalists from the private electronic media in Tetovo, and who now worked united in one editorship. The articles they prepared were both in Macedonian and Albanian. So, for our circumstances, I would say it was normal to hear reactions like: Macedonians and Albanians working together? No Way! The conflict is inevitable! It is crazy foreigners’ crazy idea! And so on. It is not that the journalists from Tetovo really did not get on well. On the contrary, there had always been a high level of cooperation, but the idea to work together was more than incredible. However, even the biggest skeptics soon realized that it was possible. The editorship had been working for 13 months and it turned out that both Macedonian and Albanian journalists can see eye to eye and can professionally work.
Example 2: If the older can work together, why couldn’t the younger do it? This idea resulted in the teenage magazine POINT. The basis was the same: a multi-ethnic editorship comprising Macedonians, Albanians, Turks etc. Again the financial assistance by the international community for realization of such an idea was necessary. This editorship (formed in November 2002), apart from two professional journalists (a Macedonian and an Albanian), comprises 50 pupils of all nationalities from the Tetovo high schools (the editorship has been comprising pupils from Kumanovo and Gostivar since this autumn). The magazine (with circulation of 10,000 copies a month) is issued in both Macedonian and Albanian language. The first reactions were similar to the ones on CITY DESK and wrong again. For the young Tetovo pupils-journalists, there has not been any language, national, religious or other kinds of misunderstanding. All the youngsters have the same problems and they write about them. The editorship has become a place not only for work, but for friendship, too.
How further: The CITY DESK editorship, after operating for 13 months, apart from the good results and moral support it had, was closed. The teenage magazine POINT is projected to be issued until the end of December 2003 and afterwards (even though efforts have been made not to happen), it might stop being printed. In both cases the reason for closure are assets.
(Radio Tetovo still exists, but it is financed by budget assets). As people say: while there is money, there will be multi-ethnic cooperation, when there is not money any longer – everyone withdraws in his (ethnic) flock. The further cooperation is reduced to journalists’ meetings at press conferences, exchange of courteous hellos, recalling the time when they worked together, exchange of casual and not so relevant information.
In any case, in the past year and a half, favorable climate was created in Tetovo for the existence of multi-ethnic journalists’ editorships. It would be nice if the community could find better understanding for their work and if not completely, then partly, to help them financially until they become independent and start working profitably. Then the market and the environment will decide if this environment really needs a multi-ethnic editorship.
Zoran Andonov,
Editor of the teenage magazine POINT from Tetovo,
and president of the Parents’ Association of Children with Cerebral Paralysis
|
|
|
|
|
