Mensur Hatic is on the air three hours each weekday. He talks about news from the old country, plays music, takes calls from listeners and interviews guests. If a guest can speak only English, Hatic serves as translator.

Hatic's afternoon show on WEW-770 AM has the most air time of several aimed at St. Louis' Bosnian community. The shows, along with newspapers and magazines produced in Bosnia and the United States, feed a strong demand for information in the native tongue.

The proof is in the advertising, said station manager Rich Vannoy. WEW, which hosts other ethnic broadcasts, put Hatic on the air on Sundays.

"The show took off like gangbusters," Vannoy said. "On any given day, his show has 20 sponsors. And the advertisers call us. We sell ads by picking up the phone."

Hatic, 46, said one reason for his success "is that I stay away from politics and religion. I try to keep it fun and informational."

And informal. Sometimes, the former music teacher brings his accordion and plays.


Coming Sunday

BACK TO BOSNIA: Ten years ago, thousands of Bosnians were massacred at Srebrenica. Over the next two weeks, Post-Dispatch reporter Phillip O'Connor and photographer Laurie Skrivan follow Bosnians from St. Louis as they return and remember their loved ones.

As the stories in this series appear, read them all online at STLtoday.com/bosnia.