OPATIJA OPATIJA, Oct 31 (Hina) - The main task of the media during an election is to offer citizens crucial information and enable political rivals to present their programmes and political ideas, whereas after an election the media
should be a reliable source of information on the work of people who were entrusted with political representation, said communicologist Zrinka Perusko-Culek at a discussion on the role of the media during the elections, held on Saturday within the Days of Croatian Journalism in Opatija. Culek said both television and the press should stimulate the electorate to participate in the elections. Speaking about the television election coverage in Great Britain, Tihomir Ladisic of Croatian Television (HTV) said there was no political propaganda on BBC. The election law determines limits as to party promotion on privately-owned TV stations and the elections are monitored by an independen
OPATIJA, Oct 31 (Hina) - The main task of the media during an
election is to offer citizens crucial information and enable
political rivals to present their programmes and political ideas,
whereas after an election the media should be a reliable source of
information on the work of people who were entrusted with political
representation, said communicologist Zrinka Perusko-Culek at a
discussion on the role of the media during the elections, held on
Saturday within the Days of Croatian Journalism in Opatija.
Culek said both television and the press should stimulate the
electorate to participate in the elections.
Speaking about the television election coverage in Great Britain,
Tihomir Ladisic of Croatian Television (HTV) said there was no
political propaganda on BBC. The election law determines limits as
to party promotion on privately-owned TV stations and the elections
are monitored by an independent TV commission, Ladisic added.
According to research carried out in countries with advanced
democracy, the role of the media in the elections is overestimated,
HTV's Damir Matkovic believes. He also believes political
advertising does not offer the electorate a clear and true message
but rather what is attractive. The electorate can be influenced by
elements which are totally irrelevant for the political discourse,
Matkovic said.
Sanja Modric of "Jutarnji list" daily said each press editorial
board can decide independently about the election coverage but the
value of the information offered will be judged by readers through
the number of sold copies. A newspaper should offer the reader
information on the basis of which he will make his political
decision, and in no case should it allow the publishing of false
information and manipulate the readers, Modric concluded.
(hina) rml