Serbia’s state TV instructed to raise fees, journalist says

N1

Belgrade’s independent journalist Gordana Susa said on Friday that Serbia’s state RTS television did not decide to enormously put a fee for its broadcast abroad up on their own since they shot themselves in the foot by that move.

The RTS raised its fees for the distribution of its programmes outside the country to a level much higher than what the United Group, which distributes RTS programmes in the Western Balkans, is being charged to broadcast the BBC.

“I don’t believe that the RTS Managing Board did it on its own, because to ask for 27 times higher fee than the other regional broadcasters, or 96 times higher than the BBC is like they shot themselves in the foot,” Susa told N1.

She fell short of saying who she thought instructed the RTS to make the move.

The first reaction in the region came from Croatia which shut down the RTS signal from its cable network.

Bosnia, where the fee is lower, but still much higher than before, is still to decide what to do.

The RTS has so far refused to comment on the move.