The Yugoslav Telecommunications Ministry has announced the results of the latest frequency tender. The Telecommunications Ministry granted temporary licenses to 247 radio and television stations in Serbia and Montenegro. From those 247 radio and television stations only three are the members of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM): one radio station and two television stations out of the 21 radio and 17 television stations from the ANEM network.The second kind of pressure on independent media is a significantly higher price tag for using frequencies. Those three media which got licenses for using frequencies are asked to pay approximately 20.000 DEM per month. So, even if the Federal Ministry grants licenses to other members of ANEM group, a great majority of them will not be able to pay such a high price tag.
All members of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) have decided to continue broadcasting despite the decision of the Federal Telecommunications Ministry denying the majority of ANEM member stations licenses. ANEM decided to form a crisis team to deal with ANEM actions in four areas: legal matter, programming, publicity, and politics.
The Belgrade Centre for Human Rights and other NGOs in Yugoslavia will take initiative in front of the Constitutional Court for proving that the frequency tender and higher price tags are not legally founded.
