15. 05. 2014

25 YEARS OF RADIO B92!

15. 05. 2014 (B92) - "It's Time for Justice, It's Time for Truth" - a song by the Serbian band Disciplina Kičme - was the first to be played by the nascent radio station on this day in 1989.

The radio was broadcasting from the 5th floor of the Youth Center (Dom Omladine) and covered only the central part of the capital city with its signal.

The span of the signal, however, did not correspond with the its influence, which helped create opinion, events, and a special esthetics. During the 1990s, B92 grew into a movement with an urban tone and a strong anti-war stance, standing in resistance to the Milošević regime.

In 1995, the B92 website was launched, followed five years later by the television station.

In addition, B92 today operates the B92 Fund, book and music publishing, and the Cultural Center REX.

The 25 years of B92's history have seen it cover the most important events of the modern Serbian political and social history, including Slobodan Miošević's rise to power, when Radio B92 was a rare media to criticize hate speech, violence and intolerance, and lead a "guerrilla fight" for a democratic country.

This was followed by civil, antiwar, and humanitarian campaigns. B92 was banned on four occasions - in 1991, 1996, 1999, and again in 2000.

After the democratic changes of October 5, 2000, B92 became a company developing its three components - radio, television, and internet - under commercial conditions established by the transition, and dealing with problems and hardships that the Serbian society has been facing since 2000 until today.

B92's quarter of a century is marked above all by the people who either were, or are now a part of it, dedicated to universal values and principles of freedom.

"The true heroes of B92 are people. I am proud of everyone who took part in the most creative way in creating B92. Most of them faced all the situation we found ourselves in by remaining exceptional, of high quality, dedicated to the basic principles that brought us together. That includes those who are no longer with us: Zoran Mamula, Miomir Grujić Fleka, Boris Nikolić, Tana Petrović, Saša Marković Mikrob, and Đorđe Dinić Đole Trip," said Veran Matić, B92's editor-in-chief.

Due to its dedication to responsible journalism and positive social changes, B92 has gained international recognition, receiving many many prestigious awards for journalistic courage and promotion of human rights. Matthew Collin wrote a best-selling book about B92 entitled "This is Serbia Calling."