New interactive map reveals media deserts in North Macedonia, Serbia
As many as 49 of North Macedonia's 80 municipalities do not have their own local traditional media outlets, while five municipalities are not covered even by regional traditional media, according to research conducted by the NarativAI organisation.
The project has resulted in the creation of the first joint interactive map of media deserts in North Macedonia and Serbia, CE Report quotes FENA.
The findings were presented as part of a study titled Who Tells Our Stories?, which highlights the lack of local journalistic coverage and limited access to information that is important to communities.
NarativAI President Aleksandar Manasiev said this was the first joint mapping of media deserts in the two countries, stressing the importance of preserving local journalism, strengthening local media outlets and increasing the number of correspondents across all regions.
"A media desert does not necessarily have to be a forgotten mountain village. It can also be an urban neighbourhood or a small town, or even a place where media outlets formally exist but local issues rarely make the news," Manasiev explained.
The term "media desert" refers to communities where residents have very limited access to reliable and comprehensive news and information essential for the functioning of democracy at the local level.
The research found that the situation in Serbia is somewhat different. Although registered media outlets exist there, some local communities receive information through social media, word of mouth or occasional media reports from neighbouring towns.
The research was conducted between May and September 2026 and included an analysis of publicly available data on print, radio, television and online media, alongside additional field checks and information from local sources.
The authors warned that data for Serbia has certain limitations because information about local media outlets is scattered across different registers, which are not always updated. Furthermore, the registration of a media outlet does not necessarily mean that it regularly reports on local events.
One of the project's distinctive features is its interactive map, which citizens can update by reporting areas where local media are absent, coverage is insufficient or certain media outlets have ceased operations.
"The map is open to anyone familiar with a place in North Macedonia or Serbia where local news is lacking. Citizens can also report concerns about biased reporting or other problems with local information services," Manasiev said.
Reports can be submitted through the interactive platform in less than a minute. Each submission points to a potential problem but does not automatically confirm that a particular area qualifies as a media desert.
Photo: AI
