RTV Theory and Practice - Special Issue

а whole. Yet the most important factor in the socialisation of our work, međia and information is, I feel, the contact we must establish through our programmes. And that is why I ask the question: is radio in Yugoslavia failing to convey its democratic nature, its democratic essence? The answer, I fear, is affirmative. We cannot simply overlook the fact that of 22 million Yugoslavs approximateiy 10 raillion аге in a position both to be radio listeners and be in some place where decisions are made... Yet how often does a programme offer the listener the possibility, even if only by telephone, to арреаг in a radio programme, and stil more use that programme to influence decision-rnaking, either in his own immediate community, ог in a wider comrnunity, or even in the widest socio-political community of all - society. Such programmes do exist, but I would not narne them here Hndividually. What I want to emphasise is that radio in Yugoslavia has, without апу good reason, failed to treat its listening audience in a difTerent way from that in which radio networks in certain parts of the world treat their listeners. We too often look upon our listeners as an amorphous mass iacking апу personal identity. As a result our radio programmes also lack апу identity. And I would say that there аге objecitve possibilities for our radio broadcasting system in Yugoslavia, alongside its national identities, to have a common Tugoslav identity, precisely because of the specific economic and social conditions in our country. And so, when I have to answer the question as to what radio has failed to do, I would say that Yugoslav radio has failed to make a democratic medium even more democratic... But I would also ask another question in connection with Ihis. Why, in a most democratic society, doesn’t the most democratic medium гпјоу the position it deserves? ĐORĐE JANKOVIĆ (Radio Belgrade correspondent in Skopje): The review RTV-THEORY AND PRACTICE which initiated this Jiscussion really ought to make a defmite attempt to inform the ivider general public about the essence of radio... Today we have the opportunity to socialise radio broadcasting and •hus to change its essence. Radio grew up out of a state socialist oosition which it must be admitted guaranteed it a certain reliability acpressed in the almost proverbial: »They said it on the radio«. Therefore it must be true, official etc. But now we are really in a