Kosovo

A month after the war in Kosovo ended in 1999, a DMA Media team was in Pristina – looking at what was left of the broadcasting infrastructure.

The UN Mission in Kosovo – working with the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe – approached us to develop an action plan for the creation of a free, public, multi-ethnic and independent news service covering radio and television.

The team, including Chairman, Stephen Claypole and CEO Rob Beynon, carried out a three-month assignment in Geneva, London, Vienna and Kosovo.

At the request of the European Broadcasting Union’s wider mission, our original brief was broadened and we became contributors to EBU’s Plan ‘A’ for the immediate start-up of an emergency television service of two hours duration each day in Kosovo.

We then produced a final report, incorporating a new vision for the future free broadcast media of the region.

The document – including a fully budgeted launch plan – was accepted and implemented in 1999-2000.