The not so independent media
Andy Wilcoxson - www.slobodan-milosevic.org

The other day, on a trip to my local book store, I saw a book entitled “This is Serbia Calling” about Belgrade radio and television station B-92. The caption on the book read, “How, armed only with a dodgy microphone, a stack of old punk records and a dream of freedom, one plucky Belgrade radio station waged a 10-year war against Slobodan Milosevic's dictatorial regime, and won.” I had to laugh because somewhere between that “dodgy microphone” and that “stack of old punk records” was a big pile of money, courtesy of Uncle Sam.

According to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) (DOCUMENT NUMBER: 180-SO02.1): “USAID was the motivating donor for a new ANEM television network.” B-92 is an ANEM affiliate station; unfortunately ANEM is much bigger than just B-92. ANEM operates the following so-called “independent media” outlets.

ANEM RADIO STATIONS

  ANEM TELEVISION STATIONS

According to the same document, USAID “offered journalism and media management training to radio and print professionals.” The U.S. Government, who less than a year before was bombing the Hell out of Yugoslavia, was training its media! All together this particular scheme cost USAID $23,000,000 American tax payer dollars.

Unfortunately, for those in Yugoslavia who do not want an enemy state feeding them their news, USAID is not the only hostile foreign organization trying to manipulate the Yugoslav media. Billionaire currency pirate George Soros is another interesting figure.

According to the respected financial publication “The Industry Standard” George Soros’ company, Soros Fund Management LLC, “manages a US-government fund that invests in war-torn areas of southeastern Europe.” In other words, George Soros spends the American tax payers’ money. Also according to “The Industry Standard” the company makes its money through “investments on macroeconomic trends such as monitoring a nation's economic health to bet against its currency.” In English this means that George Soros makes his money off of the collapse of foreign currencies.

According to the aforementioned USAID Document, In Yugoslavia “other donor participation in democracy area activities increased significantly…particularly in the area of independent media…” and one of the “principal donors” listed is the Soros Foundation. George Soros right along with the U.S. Government is funding the so-called “independent media” in Yugoslavia.

During the NATO aggression, B-92 (the station with “the dodgy microphone” and the “old punk records”), solicited funds for the “Media Development Loan Fund” which at that time was listed as a part of the Soros Open Society Institute on its website. Maybe if B-92 had raised money for itself instead of for George Soros they could have afforded to buy a new microphone and perhaps even some new records.

The bottom line here is that the “independent media” in Yugoslavia is anything but independent. It is dependant on currency pirates like George Soros and enemy nations such as the United States.