ZAGREB, Nov 3 (Hina) - The Croatian television (HTV) Council met on +on Tuesday to discuss the coverage of political parties' +activities.+ The Council members voiced differing views regarding the issue.+ HTV Director Ivica Vrkic
stressed that television would not open in +a manner which would allow more vilification of the state, but +should establish standards in accordance with professional +criteria and a new concept within the house.+ Commenting on accusations saying that the HTV was completely in +service of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Council +member Drago Krpina proposed the adoption of a book of rules on the +treatment and future coverage of Croatian political parties on the +HTV.+ Another Council member Marin Jurjevic supported the proposal, +adding that counting minutes and seconds of HTV coverage of +opposition parties was only one of the criteria.+ The Croatian
ZAGREB, Nov 3 (Hina) - The Croatian television (HTV) Council met on
on Tuesday to discuss the coverage of political parties'
activities.
The Council members voiced differing views regarding the issue.
HTV Director Ivica Vrkic stressed that television would not open in
a manner which would allow more vilification of the state, but
should establish standards in accordance with professional
criteria and a new concept within the house.
Commenting on accusations saying that the HTV was completely in
service of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Council
member Drago Krpina proposed the adoption of a book of rules on the
treatment and future coverage of Croatian political parties on the
HTV.
Another Council member Marin Jurjevic supported the proposal,
adding that counting minutes and seconds of HTV coverage of
opposition parties was only one of the criteria.
The Croatian Television (HTV) Council unanimously adopted a
proposal, put forward by a Council member Bozo Kovacevic, to
establish who was responsible for the violation of regulations on
the recent election coverage in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County.
In line with the proposal, the Council also insists on knowing what
measures will be taken against those responsible for the
irregularities.
Kovacevic reminded the Council that the Constitutional Court had
ruled that the regulations on pre-election campaign had been
violated in the case of an HTV interview with Croatian Democratic
Union (HDZ) candidate Niko Bulic during the media blackout.
This is not the first time the Constitutional Court ruled that HTV
has violated election procedures, but it is the first time that the
HTV Council called the management to account. In the past, the
Council refused to call either the editor-in-chief or the
management to account because of irregularities in coverages.
Editors-in-cheif submitted reports to the Council on its earlier
conclusons which have not been implemented, including the
conclusion on the footage of information programmes dedicated to
the ruling party and the opposition.
(hina) jn rml /sp