Community media, stressing the good side of the story.

Studio 12 is an independent non-governmental Internet and TV media, aiming to enrich Slovene and European (online) media space with fresh optimism, constructiveness and active citizenship promotion. Rather than focusing on the informative part of media (following current events) it fills the gap of media non-coverage: positive reporting and encouragement – therefore challenging the established media paradigm of ‘’Bad news is good news.’’  

By covering success stories and exploring various possible impacts of active citizens, informal groups or NGOs in the social realm, Studio 12 is encouraging active citizenship, supporting other NGOs in their work and increasing optimism in public. If media should be a reflection of the society and mainstream media in general only portraits one side of the story (more and more sensationalistic), there is a need for the reflection of the other side of the story (constructive, positive and encouraging).

Studio 12 produces educational video content that supports an individual to develop his or her competences, to take on an active role as a citizen, to face the social challenges with willpower and optimism, to protect the environment, fight for human rights, lead a healthy lifestyle and establish constructive interpersonal relations. Through videos, shows and live events it is emphasizing the strength of an individual and the possibilities of citizens to reach out for common goals in order to achieve better quality of life.

The mission

• To produce and promote video/TV contents for broad audience which raise awareness, enable, support and further develop quality of life.

• Media support to the civil society (NGOs) and video education for the NGOs: Studio 12 collaborates with non-governmental organizations and offers media support to their programs and initiatives. It also helps to improve their media skills in order for the presentation of their work to be considered more news worthy by other media as well.

• To promote VeP – Video eParticipation concept and practice: The purpose of e-participation is that of establishing an additional communication channel in order to include a wider public into various decision processes.

Areas of work

Studio 12 has developed 6 areas of work, based on the fact that there are certain themes which do not receive sufficient media coverage due to marketing and editorial policies or other causes. With detailed coverage, the focus lies on contents that are recognized as important and useful in a broader sense - i.e. for supporting and further developing a critical and constructive public. Areas of work:

• Ecology and sustainable development - Raising awareness: targeting an individual as a consumer, showing his or her impact on the environment (e.g. individual carbon footprint) and ways to lead a more sustainable lifestyle; supporting initiatives or organizations introducing  sustainable solutions (e.g. organic farming).

• Man and society - Presenting crucial social issues, especially those without sufficient media coverage; supporting the work of other NGOs dealing with key social challenges; developing as well as supporting community projects; reporting on new science findings and dilemmas.

• Human relations - Providing guidelines for developing individual communication skills, overcoming interpersonal relations’ challenges or personal traumas (e.g. loss of a family member), family relations and child upbringing support, … pointing out damaging interpersonal practices (e.g. mobbing) occurring in the society and how to face them.

• Healthy lifestyle - Raising awareness of the impact of our lifestyle on the quality of our life (choice of diet, food quality, physical activities, emotions, interpersonal relations...); pointing out potentially harmful products or practices (e.g. toxins in conventional cosmetics); encouraging the individual to take responsibility for his or her own health by being more aware, in closer contact with his or her body, learning how it functions, what supports it and what may harm it.

• Personal development - Providing encouragement and support for individuals to develop their personal skills, raise awareness and become more efficient in achieving their goals; supporting spiritual development as a part of personal growth.

• Culture and art - Supporting talented young artists; introducing the ‘fine art’ to the broad audience in a creative and educative way and therefore raising the level of cultural awareness and education in general public.

Vision

• Presenting key social issues and challenges to the public in a non-sensationalist and constructive manner (with the aim of reflection and search of practical solutions).

• Increasing the optimism and good spirits of the community - strengthening the motivation of the public and guiding it towards critical reflection and active citizenship.

• Encouraging and strengthening collaboration between the state and civil society (a greater inclusion of ideas and initiatives of civil society into various politics).

• Creating a network/media platform for a dialogue regarding important issues that are lacking media coverage and presenting constructive TV contents.

Values

Studio 12 holds conviction that people can change society and the world rather than vice versa and is of opinion that there's a need for a new, more in-depth approach towards important social subjects. We cannot or should not be passive recipients. We are all part of society, which needs to be co-created and developed in an active manner. That's why the project has strong and transparent values:

• Collaboration regardless of differences in views
• Non-profit and volunteer-based operation
• Strong ethics
• Broadness of content
• Long-term orientation towards the investigative journalism concept
• Thoroughness as opposed to superficiality and haste
• Constant education, personal and spiritual growth
• Thinking with one's mind - feeling with one's heart

Studio 12 – key points

• founded in October 2007: Civil initiative / bottom-up (8 individual co-founders)
• registered as Slovene/English media in March 2008
• people: 7 employees, 14 volunteers
• 6 areas of work
• own video production, video portal and live streaming capabilities
• media support of the NGO sector and their activities
• produces 5 professional video shows per week on average
• hosts own public events on important social topics
• produced 360 videos in 1 year
• internet: 30.000 visitors per month
• TV: 2-3 productions featured on the national TV per year
• collaboration / content exchange with other TV stations
• own music production
• funding: international grants and projects (European Commission, European Parliament, CEE TRUST - Trust for Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe, MEDIP project), national grants for NGOs, NGO project collaboration, custom video production and online video streaming, sponsorship from “socially responsible” companies, socially responsible advertising (internet + TV)
• member of national as well as international networks: CMFE – Community Media Forum Europe; CNVOS - Centre for Information Service, Co-operation and Development of NGOs; Mreza zdravja – NGO network for healthy living; NGOs protect our health

Future vision & trends

Keep in focus the mission and in accordance with key values make progress in:

• Own classical TV channel
• Featuring other (also foreign) educational TV materials
• Investigative journalism
• 99% content-based media
• Keeping up with the technology (media convergence)