Several years ago, Radio-Television of Serbia, RTS, has become public broadcasting service. Nevertheless, professional and general public though is of the opinion that the RTS still does not fulfil all the standards already achieved in other European countries. In spite of the programme improvements, public still objects the most to the quality of the RTS programme concept stressing the lack of culture, education and science as well as quality entertaining shows. Moreover, those citizens who do not pay subscription justify this decision by the programme poor quality.

The organisational scheme of the RTS is such that the Board of Directors, editors-in-chief, Programme Board, and General Manager make programme concept together. If compared with the West Europe public services it is obvious the RTS lacks significant citizens` influence on the programme policy, since as the subscribers they do have legitimate right to object, criticise, and make suggestions to the programme.

One of the essential features of the BBC is its permanent and very systematic communication with its viewers and listeners. Continual contact with spectators, for the sake of the programme improvement and in the interest of the public is realised through public consultations (editors, managers, and journalists public discussions with different community groups); independent advices (BBC communicates with experts who monitor different programmes and services); survey of the audience (survey of rating and its share in all the TV and radio programmes); as well as listening strategy (BBC has special departments in charge of communication with public whose phones and addresses are at disposal 24 hours a day).

Besides, organisation of the BBC enables public to make their remarks on its site any time and there is a special department in charge of answering within 10 days upon the notice posted. In case the citizen is not satisfied, he/she can go further - complain again. After this, specialised editorial body, Editorial Trust Committee, considers a complaint and responds. Citizens have the right to appeal to the Office of Communication in case his/her opinion is the public service has violated its authorities or obligations to the citizens it is responsible to when its work is in question.

For the time being there is no possibilities for the citizens of Serbia to really influence the programme policy while the possibility of the right to appeal is known to just few of them.

The member of the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA) Slobodan Djoric says citizens can complain to the RRA Council that "answers to different justified and signed objections no matter whether local or national broadcasters are in question." However, he adds citizens very often have wrong premises and think they are not obliged to pay subscription since they do not watch certain programmes. At the same time, they forget they have to pay subscription since this is the national institution working in the interest of us all.

Unlike the Serbian, the French public service organises contacts with its viewers and public discussion on its programmes. Citizens can address Conseil Superieur de l` Audiovisuel (High Audio-Visual Council) in case they are not satisfied with the public television programme and all this with the aim of permanent better quality of the public service programmes.

The fact that citizens have almost no influence on the programme policy the RTS Programme Board President Milovan Mitrovic defends saying, "That would be very useful for both the citizens and the RTS but it could also be unsuitable in our quite fallen system."

"There was a proposal for making a website for the citizens to take active part but I am quite aware of great possibility of manipulation in case a group of citizens organises as a lobby group exerting pressure, although it is not real situation," says Professor Mitrovic adding he has suggested public discussions on the RTS programme policy. Unfortunately, his proposition was "assessed as too ambitious and unfeasible at the moment."

The Programme Board, having no operational function but only authority to notice, make remarks and suggestions, has its sessions once a month and consider its own and others` remarks and suggestions.

"We all agree great problem makes the lack of culture and educational programmes. Therefore we constantly insist on programme policy concentrating on content such as a `Cultural Journal`. Besides, scarce are also entertainment show programmes like those we once had - `Obraz uz obraz` (Cheek to Cheek) and `Sedmorica mladih` (The Seven Young Men). Now we have `48 sati svadba` (48 Hours Wedding), according to a survey a very popular show. I personally think the reason being its broadcast at the prime time. Also, those producing and insisting on showing this programme at that time are obviously people who have great influence on the current authorities," says Mitrovic and adds that, on the other hand, public service has to have quality programme but not extremely high suitable just for only small number of intellectuals.

The Programme Board President points out the RTS editors maintain their requests could be realised at the Television Second Programme whose programme scheme is endangered by the Serbia Assembly meetings broadcasts and sports events.

"This racks projects in the sphere of culture and education, the programmes the public service is needed for. On the other hand, these programmes, when completed, wait to be broadcasted for seven or eight months," says Professor Mitrovic.

Slobodan Djoric also stresses that important contents are jeopardised by the Serbia Assembly meetings broadcasts adding financial problems also as the important ones. According to him, subscription is paid by only 55 percent of citizens and this cannot cover expenses of development and infrastructure and equipment renovation, and programme production. Therefore, "until the problem of the efficient subscription payment is cleared up and Assembly meetings moved from the Second Programme, programme problems will be hard to solve."

Djoric adds that the RTS management makes mistakes since "they should compete with commercial broadcasters with respect of spectators."

"The RTS should boast about number of viewers when its own production is in question, and not about spectators who watch sports events," points out the RRA Council member and adds that the image is built on serials such as "Vuk Karadzic" which is very costly.

The Programme Council President emphasises that public discussions that include citizens are also needed in solving these problems since this is the way of building awareness in the sphere of public discussions.

"I would like the Programme Board with its members during their third and final year to organise public discussions so that those coming to these positions after us could have an obligation to follow suit," he adds asserting that the RTS would organise public discussions on actual burning problems, such as educational system reform.

However, he adds there is also a barrier in the public service that, according to him, does not want to come into conflict with the Government and therefore "there are no such themes in their programmes and there are no journalists who would like to do such things."

In contrast, Djoric emphasises that the programme policy and subscription problems go arm in arm and that communication with citizens can be beneficial.

"It is necessary to have field work - an important TV individual should go, say, to the town of Prokuplje and organise the RTS evening where the citizens could talk about the things they lack; the RTS people could present their arguments and explanations on what they can and cannot do for the lack of money. They should explain what exactly the public service is and that way raise citizens` awareness of the need for the public service and subscription that should be paid. The money gathered that way should be sufficient for making more expensive programmes," concludes Djoric.