Fight the power: The role of the Serbian independent electronic media in the democratization of Serbia

This thesis presents the major contributions of the Serbian independent electronic media to the struggle for the democratization of Serbia throughout the 1990s. The thesis also examines some aspects of the transformation of the media in Eastern Europe in the 1990s and outlines several different theoretical approaches to answering the question: Can media influence social change? The thesis further describes the development of Serbian independent electronic media from small outlets, such as Radio B 92 and NTV Studio B, to a strong association of independent local radio and TV stations. Due to institutionalization and international support, the independent radio and TV stations not only survived, but became important parts of the civil resistance movement against Slobodan MiloSeviC's regime. Finally, in the second half of the 1990s, a wide coalition of Serbian independent media, NGOs and oppositional political parties succeeded in creating the conditions for the regime's overthrow.