Belgrade. I am in Belgrade today...actually arrived Sunday...and began a workshop Monday for middle-managers with local media--print and broadcast. My topics include management and personnel issues and ad sales and media marketing.

A media reform bill is supposed to be enacted shortly in Serbia. It would push through privatization of most municipal media companies--television and radio stations and newspapers that are owned by local governments. One of my participants, who currently owns a small private newspaper, is considering buying his municipal competitor. What does he get for his purchase? Basically the name/masthead of the paper. Few real assets beyond that. Some minor examples of used equipment...low-end computers, nothing special. His biggest liability: more than 300 employees--for the WEEKLY PAPER--in a town of 70,000. And, he can't fire anyone in his first year of ownership. At the end of one year, he can see that workers he wants to fire are put into a government program to "train" them for new jobs.

His current weekly newspaper employs about 20 people.