Regional broadcaster TV M from the lakeside town of Ohrid successfully implemented project You are your city aimed at bringing citizens closer to the outlet by encouraging them to become citizen journalists.
The idea is to increase the volume of advertisers, which means to increase outlet’s revenue, by increasing TV M website traffic, reach, and visibility, on one side and TV channel viewership, by offering audience generated content, on the other.
“Based on strictly defined criteria, citizens were encouraged to submit video and photo content on TV M’s social media, email and website on topics they find important and relevant (infrastructure issues, corruption, illegal actions, etc.),” Irena Arnaudova from TV M said adding that the user-generated content of high relevance and importance was additionally covered by TV M’s journalists.
In the later phase of the project, 4 citizen journalists who show interest to collaborate, will receive basic journalistic training and gimbals, and will begin reporting regularly for TV M social media pages.
“This way, all of our channels will gain attention, visibility and attract new advertisers,” Arnaudova said.
Until now TV M received around 100 photographs and videos, out of which 80 have been selected and published. Around 15 cases had been fully developed into journalistic features. This approach has resulted in an increased number of visits on the website and on the social media channels.
“Being part of the Media for All project means a lot to us. The knowledge and support we received from the experts and from our mentor, together with the training and e-learning courses, helped us to further excel in our work and deliver new and fresh content for our viewers,” Arnaudova said.
TV M, as a local outlet, was founded in 1993. Through the years it has become an independent medium with recognizable and respectable status. In 2014 it transformed into a regional TV station broadcasting in Ohrid, Struga, Vevchani, and Debarca.
Ohrid based broadcaster is one of the 11 outlets from North Macedonia that are part of the Media for All project which is funded by the UK Government and implemented by the British Council, Thomson Foundation, BIRN and INTRAC in all Western Balkans countries.
