The 2016 contests for EU awards for investigative journalism in Western Balkans and Turkey are now closed in all seven countries.
Need for investigative newsroom within public service broadcaster
Mirko Bošković, a journalist of Television of Montenegro was awarded with the first prize of 2016 EU award for investigative journalism in Montenegro, for the serial entitled “The Promised Land”.
Giving thanks for the award, Bošković said: “this prize is recognition and great argument for the public broadcaster to have investigative journalism all the time in its program.”
The public broadcaster needs to be an example of the most independent and high quality journalism, because it is the only one not depending on the pressure and conditions of the market. We respond only to those who are paying us and those are the citizens who give for public broadcaster insufficient but a sum substantial for Montenegrin conditions, of almost 14 million EUR per year. For that money, they rightfully expect from us to justify their funds with a high quality program in the public interest, said Bošković while addressing the audience.
He added that he believed the award would encourage the management and editorial team of RTCG to bring back the serial “The Promised Land” in the program plan and for the public broadcaster to get a permanent investigative newsroom as soon as possible.
The video shows part of his speech.