HRT BOARD ACCEPTS RADIO & TV PLAN FOR THIS YEAR

( Editorial: --> 4433 ) ZAGREB, 14 January (Hina) - The Croatian Radio Television Board Wednesday accepted the 1998 Program Plan for Croatian Radio and Croatian Television. According to the Program Plan, Croatian Television will this year transmit on average 47 hours daily across its three channels. Channel One, the so-called national channel, will mainly transmit items of national and community importance, which are locally produced. Channel Two will cover entertainment while sport and music remain part of Channel Three. Bozo Kovacevic, a Board member, criticised how the concept for the informative program was submitted, asserting that certain parts "look like they were written by the Croatian Government". Janko Bobetko, another Board member, says the Plan is acceptable but questions if it can be accomplished, emphasising that television must be objective and supportive of trends which will progress Croatia. The program for the diaspora is poor, he said, suggesting the need for a new approach. Most members of the Board, including Slavko Mihalic, said that the Plan lacks a central cultural program. Croatian Radio Television (HRT) Director, Ivica Mudrinic, said discussions were held with representatives of Forum 21 (an association of journalists in the electronic media) in line with the Board's conclusions. All members of Forum 21 have accepted HRT's line of direction, Mudrinic said. In response to Janko Bobetko's question whether there is truth in press reports that journalist Tihomir Ladisic had been replaced, Mudrinic answered that Tihomir Ladisic is not editing the news but working as a journalist in the information program. (Hina) mm, mrb 141901 MET jan 98