171 MEDIA OUTLETS COVER POPE JOHN PAUL II'S VISIT TO CROATIA

( Editorial: --> 5406 ) ZAGREB, Oct 3 (Hina) - Journalists from 171 media outlets across the world are using the Zagreb Sheraton hotel's press centre as a headquarters to cover Pope John Paul II's second visit to Croatia. Five-hundred and seventy reporters from 20 countries, 187 photographers and two dozen television crews are covering the Pope's visit to Zagreb, Marija Bistrica, Split and Solin. Agencies, newspapers and television stations following the Holy Father's visit include TV Vatican, CNN, Associated Press, Reuters, BBC, SKY News, "The Financial Times", Agence France Press, France 2, "Liberation", RAI, ANSA, "Il Piccolo", "Il Giornale", Sweden's "Dagens Nyheter", Germany's ARD, DPA, "Stern" Magazine, Japan's "Asahi Shimbun" and others. The Croatian Foreign Ministry, the organiser of the press centre, made available 100 telephone lines, two dozen computers, 10 fax machines and two photocopiers. The reporters can follow the Pope's travels in Croatia via four television sets and a large television screen. Information is also available from courtesy clerks. Although satisfied with the technical equipment of the press centre, reporters have expressed dissatisfaction with the organisation of the coverage of the Pope's arrival at the Zagreb airport, and problems with transport, because of which they had to follow the Holy Father's arrival via Croatian Television (HTV). Some of them have criticised the insufficient and untimely availability of written materials. They also commented that the security measures they had been subject to were excessive and, as a result, a hindrance to their work. (hina) lml /mbr 032116 MET oct 98