ZAGREB, June 17 (Hina) - Numerous criticisms directed towards the performance of the editorial team of Croatian Television (HTV), particularly editor-in-chief Jasna Ulaga Valic, and the Croatian Radio Television Council (HRT), and a
debate about the damage internal conflicts were causing to journalistic professionalism on HTV, marked a round table discussion on HTV, organised by the association of journalists in the electronic media Forum 21 in Zagreb on Monday.
ZAGREB, June 17 (Hina) - Numerous criticisms directed towards the
performance of the editorial team of Croatian Television (HTV),
particularly editor-in-chief Jasna Ulaga Valic, and the Croatian
Radio Television Council (HRT), and a debate about the damage
internal conflicts were causing to journalistic professionalism on
HTV, marked a round table discussion on HTV, organised by the
association of journalists in the electronic media Forum 21 in
Zagreb on Monday. #L#
Forum 21 president Drago Pilsel was the first to raise the question
of problems on HTV. Among other things, he said that journalism no
longer existed on the national television, particularly because
the gap between news and the truth was growing bigger and bigger,
but also because editors were being unlawfully appointed.
The debate flared up when the "Vjesnik" daily's Branko Vuksic said
that the appointment of Ulaga Valic as HTV editor-in-chief meant
the complete disregard for professional criteria. He added that
experience, knowledge and professionalism were becoming
expendable on HTV and accused Ulaga Valic of selecting an editorial
team with shaky foundations and of not severing ties with the
political milieu.
Denis Kuljis, president of the Commission for Expert Issues with
the Croatian Association of Journalists, stated that Ulaga Valic
and her editorial team had not drawn any positive working results
and that their editorial policy was leaning "to the Right".
He added that an undeclared war was being waged between Ulaga Valic
and Croatian Radio Television (HRT) director Mirko Galic, while at
the same time the institution was burdened with corruption and
theft measured in millions of dollars, yet no one wanted to conduct
an internal audit.
HRT deputy director Vanja Sutlic reacted to these claims stating
that an independent audit had been conducted on HTV and the police
were currently investigating several suspects for illegal
activities.
He called on Kuljis to present any evidence he had on the corruption
and unlawfulness he referred to, stressing that there were no
conflicts on HTV relating to the programme nor was the management
interfering with the editorial policy.
The head of the HND branch at HTV, Silvija Luks, claimed that the
main instigator of confusion and chaos on HTV was the "unqualified
and over-politicised" HRT Council, which she said would cause a
complete moral, professional and civilisation breakdown of the
national television. She claimed that Ulaga Valic was not mature
enough to deal with such confusion.
The vice-president of the HRT Council, Srecko Lipovcan, warned that
the Council did not consist of experts but public figures and that
he did not notice any connections to politics in its work.
He announced that he would see that the Council withdraw its
decision on the appointment of two editors who do not meet the set
criteria.
(hina) sp rml sb