Journalism and media industry in Serbia: Professional gain, economic loss

Abstract

The usage of new technologies for the improvement of journalistic profession and communication with the audience has been one of the actual trends followed by private media in Serbia. For the development of multimedia platforms in journalism the necessary conditions are adequate professional resources and owners' perception on what new technologies may bring to their media. The owners of local broadcast and print media, as well as ones of web portals have been aware of changes that have been brought by web journalism, the development of digital platforms and multimedia services into the profession and media business. Private broadcast and print media, as well as web portals, besides being properly equipped both in technology and professional resources, suffer economic challenges and what strategies they could develop to tackle financial loss or to reach market survival position. The results of the research show that, despite developed technological infrastructure and professional resources, those media outlets have been facing with serious economic burden and financial loses, caused by the economic crisis, migration of major advertisers and high taxes their owners have to pay to the state. Also, those outlets have been experiencing economic disadvantages caused by the unfair competition of municipality-owned media. The strategies owners develop count on the help of the state or the development of new digital formats and e-business that would attract more viewers and thus more advertisers.