ZAGREB, March 15 (Hina) - The newly-appointed Croatian Television (HTV) editor-in-chief, Marija Peakic Mikuljan, on Monday said there were too many political shows on the HTV, but she would not cancel them. "I personally believe there
are too many political shows", Peakic Mikuljan told reporters in an interview after her appointment as HTV editor-in-chief by the Croatian Radio and Television (HRT) Council at a session held today. The new HTV editor-in-chief was appointed for a period of four years. Asked whether her statement meant that she was going to cancel some political shows, she said "it is not about cancelling them, but rather about opening a discussion on what is good and what could be improved". She also asserted that "the programme has become negatively politicised in the last couple of months". Explaining her nomination, Peakic Mikuljan said that, in democratic countries, the p
ZAGREB, March 15 (Hina) - The newly-appointed Croatian Television
(HTV) editor-in-chief, Marija Peakic Mikuljan, on Monday said
there were too many political shows on the HTV, but she would not
cancel them.
"I personally believe there are too many political shows", Peakic
Mikuljan told reporters in an interview after her appointment as
HTV editor-in-chief by the Croatian Radio and Television (HRT)
Council at a session held today.
The new HTV editor-in-chief was appointed for a period of four
years.
Asked whether her statement meant that she was going to cancel some
political shows, she said "it is not about cancelling them, but
rather about opening a discussion on what is good and what could be
improved". She also asserted that "the programme has become
negatively politicised in the last couple of months".
Explaining her nomination, Peakic Mikuljan said that, in
democratic countries, the public television cannot ignore election
results and the trust of the public and voters. Therefore, the news
programme has to be balanced and the number of political shows
reduced, to fit the size of the political scene.
Peakic Mikuljan conformed that upon taking up her new office she
cease to be a member of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) Main
Committee. She added that she had not run for the new post in
agreement with the ruling party's leadership.
According to the Law on HTV, the editor-in-chief cannot be a party
official.
Nine candidates applied for the position of the new HTV editor-in-
chief, but all requirements were met by only five of them, HRT
director Ivica Vrkic said at today's HRT Council's session, which
announced the appointment of Peakic-Mikuljan.
The present HRT system is not functioning and the new editor-in-
chief should make a "radical cut" in order to avoid mistakes made so
far. "Too many programmes is the main reason why they cannot be
professionally controlled and edited", Vrkic said, calling for the
drawing up of a new programme strategy.
Vrkic objected that there were too many expensive and poorly
planned shows, with low ratings. He also objected to the lack of
communication between authors and editors and the fact that
"television has become a too narrow space for all political,
professional and other needs of different groups".
There is no objective journalism on the HTV because programmes are
being created by people who are subject to different political and
professional influences, Vrkic said adding this was the reason why
only views of the Opposition prevailed in some shows, while other
shows promoted only the views of the ruling party.
(hina) rml