Regional outlet TV Kiss & Menada, based in the town of Tetovo, develops a new and innovative monetization model targeting the large diaspora from the Polog region to support their work by paying symbolic price for the shows they are producing.
The plan is to promote and put 24 shows online in total, half are recorded in Macedonian and half in Albanian language, and offered for online purchase.
“The price is still not defined, but it should be around 5 euros per show, or if one downloads more shows the price will be cheaper,” Maja Peroska program coordinator and journalist at TV Kiss & Menada said.
Majority of shows are recorded, but the e-payment system still needs to be implemented and media currently works on its adjustment and calibration. Regardless of that, the possibility to use e-payment on their website could become reality soon for TV Kiss & Menada and several other media outlets in North Macedonia that are supported by Thomson Foundation through the ‘Media for All’ project.
In line with the business plan so far, several activities were implemented. There were public calls for hiring additional collaborators, which include a journalist-collaborator who speaks Albanian as a mother tongue, and whose task is to prepare the planned shows. Also, there was a call for the position of engagement editor, whose task is to communicate with the community, its involvement in the editing of media content, as well as giving directions to the media team to maintain editorial policy, according to the needs of the established target group.
“Not only the financial support, but also the training and mentoring sessions helped us a lot in implementing this idea. The knowledge we got, and the on-hand experience we gain on these sessions is of immense value,” Tosho Markoski, general manager at TV Kiss & Menada, said.
Thomson foundation, as part of the ‘Media for All’ project, supports 11 media in North Macedonia in developing feasible and localized business plans. Besides TV Kiss & Menada, three more media from North Macedonia will benefit from this e-payment system in implementation of their business plans – OhridNews from Ohrid, Nezavisen vesnik from Skopje, and Radio Kanal 77 from Shtip. As a result of this support these media will be able to offer and charge their content, goods and services – depending on their business model – electronic way.
