[ALST-L] Kosova Times--Positions

[Isa Blumi]

Judging from the response on my last message, it may
be wise to clarify the situation with Kosova Times. 
As noted before, it is an English-Language newspaper
published 6 days a week.  Its format is straight
forward: 16 pages consisting of sections to cater to
the international community (ie one page for British
readers of news from UK, US has two pages, business
page, four pages of sports [most readers will be
soldiers] unfortunately only one page of local news
and a commentary page.)  The positions available would
ideally involve the candidate moving to Prishtina to
either take up the position of journalist, which could
take the form of investigative journalist or "beat
journalist."  The journalist could work on longer
pieces which would not be priviledged material for
Kosova Times, the article could be marketed on the
freelance market as well.  Kosova Times at the moment
is relying on the work of local connections which
results in a rather unprofessional bit of
presentation, particularly when the readers are
veterns of western-style journalism.  There are daily
press conferences that need to be covered and from
personal experience as the English Editor of
Kosovapress when it was still a newsagency, Kosova
needs some tough-minded, fast-thinking journalist to
ask the hard questions of KFOR, UNMIK etc.  The job
holds a great deal of responsibility in this sense and
could prove an important first step into the larger
world of free lance opportunties.  I certainly got my
share of offers even though I do not pretend to be a
journalist (an historian).

Kosova Times needs someone to take over the marketing
side of the business.  While it benefited from an
initial contribution from local sources, I always
envisioned the paper to be financially independent. 
While I have left the day-to-day operations to return
to my research, I had prepared a number of proposals
to international aid agencies who all expressed
interest in helping fund Kosova Times.  There is a
need for someone to take over the financial management
of this paper, to represent the paper in meetings with
Aid agencies and handling marketing duties.  The paper
is a potential gold mine, it just needs to deal with
some basic issues of this nature.

Then there is the office of the editor-in-chief.  I am
more than willing to work with the new candidate to
"show them the ropes," the current staff is now quite
capable of dealing with the content of the paper and
have produced a number of issues without my
supervision, but they need intellectual and managerial
guidance.  The editor-in-chief would be responsible
for dealing with the local political realities that
being the only English newspaper entails, it certainly
can be an experience, but it will take someone with a
sharp mind who is confident and will not be
intimidated.  Again, Kosova Times established a very
good reputation in a short time, it was an invaluable
mouthpiece, far more effective than the silent Kosova
political community which has succeeded in destroying
any compassion people have for our political
aspirations as a people.  

I can no longer take on these responsibilities, I have
endured the period from bombing and have gone through
many months of Kosova's development in the last year. 
I must return to my research but I do not want Kosova
to lose this opporutunity.  So please, if you believe
your presence here in Prishtina would contribute to
Kosova Times and its aims, please do write at

kosovatimes at hotmail.com

and if there are any questions, still, please be more
specific as to what you want to know about the
position for which you would be considered.  I must
add, strong English is an essential requisite.

Salaries are competative with what Aid agencies are
paying here and there is a profit sharing component to
the structure of the paper that I have installed which
could make this a financially rewarding endevor for
those who get involved.

Tung,

Isa



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