Pink changes color, escapes from Radio Laguna – Culture

Photo: Media Center

Due to the new ownership structure at this station, most of the managers resigned, according to our newspaper.

“I do music radio because only that person has a chance in the market,” Zeljko Mitrovic answered briefly for our newspaper when asked if there would be any change in radio.

As Danas has learned, a radio called Roja will be launched on the frequency of the former radio Laguna, as well as a television and an internet portal, with which this media mogul will complete his new youth concept that he intends to launch.

Igor Brakus, icon of the radio host who hosted the “Obligatorio-Opcional” program on Radio Laguna with Smiljan Banjac, says that he is unpleasantly surprised by the decision to stop the station and that it is assumed by “a man who at his trial is responsible for the cultural collapse of this station. ” the state and the Serbian people. “

– The owner of Laguna and the owner of Pink have mutually agreed to a business cooperation in which the owner of Pink will take over the rights to use the local frequency 93.7 and start the program of his new radio, which also means that Radio Laguna will cease to exist. Smiljan Banjac and I, as co-authors of the “Obligatory-Optional” program, have nothing against someone selling something that is his and what he did himself, but we have a problem with the fact that the company in which he We still work is absorbed by a man who, although we do not know him personally, but we know what he does and what he does, we consider him directly guilty of the cultural collapse of this country and the Serbian people – says Brakus. When asked how he personally experienced the closure of this station, how he sees it in a larger context, and what he plans to do next:

– Radio Laguna, like many of our listeners, was considered the last bastion of freedom of thought and expression, and a promoter of culture in any form, where there was never a hint of censorship, so we were unpleasantly surprised by the fact that the decision was made to stop this station. with work, which is a legitimate decision of the owner of Laguna, whatever his reason, but it seems to me that our decision not to participate in this process and not to do the “Mandatory-Optional” show in no way does not complete the procedures surrounding the signing of the Agreement and then Radio Laguna is closed. Personally, I am sorry that we are left without a great radio on the air, I am glad that I worked with a wonderful team and somehow I hope that someone, like everyone else, will invite us to a new free radio, which can open in, I hope, in the near future ”, concludes Igor Brakus.

The editor-in-chief of the Radio Laguna program, Igor Mladenović, tells Danas that the information about the sale of this station is basically correct, but that he still does not have information about the practicalities of the contract.

– It is obviously in development and according to our information, the company was bought for the frequency that will be used for another purpose for another program. The program I edited will no longer exist on that frequency, and time will show what life brings – says Mladenović, adding that “of course it will not stay on that radio”.

– There is a formal part that has to be done because I am the editor-in-chief. I was not informed about the negotiations or anything related to the program that I support with all my heart and soul, and which is dying out. Sorry, because this is the second station that plays with me, and this was very important to me. We had big plans, we raised the audience based on a quality audience and with a really quality program, with music that is the main factor and that had its own color, we promoted cultural values ​​and life values. What to do Mlad – Mladenović says depressed.

He says that he does not know what will be at that station in the future, but that in any case, he himself is outside the value system advocated by the future owner.

– That’s not my value system. I can’t be behind him – points out Mladenović, indicating that a trace has been left behind this radio, and that someone should think about it in the future. – There’s that Balašević song “It’s our fault”. That is my motto these days – says Igor Mladenović.

Musician Igor Blažević, better known as Dirty Inspector Blaž, presented the author’s program “Blažotres” on Radio Laguna.

– Everything is for sale. We know it well after so many years. From Beobanka through the famous “Gosa” factory in Smederevska Palanka to radio-television B92, so this little light in the tunnel called Radio Laguna came out well. The new owner is probably bringing new music and a new concept, so as far as I’m concerned, the moment I found out, I was on that radio for the last time. The same goes for most of my colleagues. When they found out about the new ownership structure, they were done with that story, explains Inspector Blaža for Danas.

He points out that the problem of selling this radio is not just a matter of author shows.

– In the last six years, Radio Laguna has become a really good city radio. Music has gotten great in the last year. Probably the best music on the air in our country. It’s one of the few places where you could hear Talking Heads and Bowie, the Stones and the Beatles, and Presley and Chuck Beria. It was like a 40-watt light bulb that burns so brightly and never dies. But, unfortunately, as in any light, in the end it goes out – adds the musician.

Dejan Papić, owner of the Laguna publishing house, when asked by Danas what he says about the fact that a large number of announcers are leaving the radio, said that no one has officially resigned yet, but that they understand the essence of the question and that Radio Laguna was a financial burden on the entire system. for many years.

– This radio has been a financial burden for our system for several years, because Radio Laguna could only function as a quality radio with quality voice segments, which require certain financial investments, which burdened us. Marketing never managed to follow that, and that segment that was necessary for us so that the publication could focus on its part of the business, so that the radio was independent. Virtually every seven years we’ve had a radio, the publication has helped that station survive. In the last three or four years, it has become quite clear that this financial situation will not improve. We had several conversations with several interested buyers, but the sale never went through, which happened this time because the price corresponded to both parties – explains Papić.

When asked if he personally regrets the people who will no longer work there, the audience that loved this station and the quality values ​​it promoted, the Danas interlocutor answered affirmatively.

– Of course I’m sorry, because I worked and founded it, but at some point it really became a burden on the whole system and lasted a long time. That content was of quality. We could economically reduce the burden by reducing the speech segments, that is, having a smaller number of employees, but then it would not be Radio Laguna as we wanted – concludes Papić.

Ord youth program

Dejan Papić comments on the observation that media owned by Željko Mitrović promote questionable value content, which is often anti-cultural:

– You will comment on it in your own way, and I will allow myself to refrain from commenting. What I know will happen with that frequency is that the youth radio will work on it. As far as I know, the idea of ​​Zeljko Mitrovic, owner of Red television, is to be followed by the radio and internet portal of the same name. So you need a radio station with a frequency to complete your youth concept, which you intend to launch, Dejan Papić concludes.

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