BILL ON HRT TO GO THROUGH REGULAR PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

ZAGREB, Dec 5 (Hina) - The government on Thursday sent into regular parliamentary procedure a bill on Croatian Radio and Television (HRT), in line with which it would be reorganised into a public institution with three organisational units -- Croatian Radio, Croatian Television and Music Production. #L# Although the current situation on Croatian Television (HTV) demands differently, the government has suggested that the draft law undergo regular rather than urgent procedure so that solutions can be as good as possible, Culture Minister Antun Vujic, whose ministry drew up the bill, said. The draft establishes the Council, Directorate and HRT Director General as HRT's management bodies. The basic task of the council would be to supervise the implementation of programme principles and legal commitments. Council members would be elected and dismissed by the parliament based on a public competition. The council would then appoint the HRT director general, directors of radio, television and music production, the programme director and the editor-in-chief of the news programme. The council would also decide on their dismissals. This process could be initiated only in cases foreseen by the law. The programme director and news programme editor-in-chief are posts which will be introduced on the models of European radio and television stations. The programme director would be responsible for organising and harmonising the broadcast with principles stipulated by the law, the programme and business policy, and would also be in charge of the annual and seasonal programme schedule. The news programme editor-in-chief would be responsible for organising said programme and information broadcast during it. The parliament should debate bills on telecommunications, electronic media and media by mid-February, government members announced at today's session. (hina) lml sb