Cases of cooperation between Serbian and Albanian journalists are few and far between, despite numerous opportunities. The recent crisis in the north of Kosovo was one such occasion. Dozens, perhaps even over a hundred media crews from Kosovo, Belgrade, the region and from all over the world, in addition to local news teams, reported on protests, conflicts, dialogue – each from their own point of view.
Over the weekend, KoSSev organized a debate on conflicting narratives in the media, an event that gathered journalists from different sides. Journalists from BIRN Serbia, the Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina, Internews Kosovo from Pristina, along with several local journalists, attended the debate.
In fact, it was a three-part media event, which included the presentation of joint research by two media outlets from Pristina and Belgrade, followed by a two-day visit to KoSSev’s offices.
A group comprised of six journalists, some of whom were visiting the north for the first time, as well as young journalists from Pristina, whose first work assignment in the north was to cover the protest, that is, the conflict between the Serbs and KFOR at the end of May, visited our newsroom.
Antigone Isufi, a journalist from Pristina, revealed that during the unrest in the north of Kosovo, she reported from the field and was present in all municipalities.
She emphasizes that she faced difficulties while reporting, noting that she believes that would not be the case if she had had more contact with Serbs from the north or Serbs living in Serbia.
„I believe that this kind of exchange of experiences between journalists helped me a lot to expand my contacts with other journalists in the north, and even with journalists from Vojvodina and Belgrade. This kind of experience would be helpful to any journalist, when it comes to the north which is not a very quiet place, in fact it is dangerous for journalists. It would help them to obtain information and verify the information, because language has an influence on this and if we share experiences we would reduce these differences caused by language,“ she said.
Tanja Maksić from BIRN Serbia says that conversations with journalists helped her to understand the perspectives of journalists who work in different communities, but also in „different contexts“ and report in different languages.
„For the quality of the journalistic profession and complete and accurate informing of citizens, it is very important that journalists step out of their little world and inform themselves as best as possible, so that they can inform the public as best as possible as well,“ Maksić said.
Although Maksić previously visited Kosovo, this is her first visit to the north.
This journalist says that North Mitrovica is presented „very narrowly“ in the Serbian media.
„With the exception of a few pictures and videos from the main square, you can see only a few things about Mitrovica. This was my chance to walk around the city center, sit in a cafe, cross the bridge. It opened a new perspective for me on how ordinary people live, do their business. In that sense, it was very important to see that, beyond those established images of North Mitrovica, there is a very dynamic and interesting community of cultured and decent people who are trying to live as best they can in this situation,“ Maksić said.
This weekend, Dalibor Stupar from Novi Sad-based NDNV also visited the north for the very first time.
He says that before his arrival, but also before the meeting with the journalists, he did not have high expectations.
„I know that this is a divided society and the media must be divided, especially because we have two nations. In Serbia, the situation is such that the media is divided, and we have neither a war conflict, nor the legacy of the war divided along ethnic lines, and yet the situation is not that good.“
However, he added that he is pleasantly surprised, because he noticed at the meeting that there is a „need or desire to establish and deepen cooperation“ on both sides.
„The media is, after all, part of the problem because of its reporting all these years, now I don’t know if both sides understand that the media is partly the solution, but it seems to me that this is a way that if the journalists get to know each other and understand that they are facing the same problems and as far as the profession is concerned, that we will be closer to each other, so perhaps it will lead to joint cooperation, which can ultimately contribute to improvement. Deterioration is always easier to make happen and things are much easier to tear down than to build. So I see this as the first step,“ he said.
He emphasized that the Albanian colleagues he spoke with are younger people and that he is glad to see that they are interested in cooperation.
Politicians are allowed to lie, it is up to the media to not transmit those lies
This text was created as part of an EU-financed initiative that strengthens intercultural cooperation between Kosovo and Serbia. The content of the text is the sole responsibility of the KoSSev portal and does not necessarily represent the views of the European Union or other collaborators on the project.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
