"FORUM 21 " ASKS H.R.T. TO BECOME PUBLIC TELEVISION ( Editorial: --> 8643 )

( Editorial: --> 8643 ) ZAGREB, Nov 6 (Hina) - A union of journalists in electronic media of the Croatian Journalists' Society, "Forum 21", presented at their first news conference in Zagreb on Thursday a Resolution advocating professional and open electronic media. The twenty-three journalists composing the "Forum 21" stressed in the Resolution that they were dissatisfied with the position of journalists, the degree of informativeness and objectivity of the Croatian Radio Television (HRT) and most electronic media in Croatia. They also expressed concern about the credibility of the journalist profession and reputation of reporters of electronic media. "Forum 21" also asked for the transformation of the HRT from a state television to public television and the cessation of its monopoly; for the redefinition of the role and composition of the HRT Council, as well as of the Telecommunication Council which should act in line with its legal authority, not as an outpost of one political option. Member of the HRT administration board and assistant Croatian Television director, Mirko Galic, said that the "Forum 21" was neither a political platform, nor a form of political organisation, but rather a movement to strengthen the journalist profession in Croatia, which included objective informing and free journalism. He said that "the television must develop towards being a public television, and the HRT Council must be a guarantee for its independence and quality". Editor-in-Chief of Zagreb's Radio 101, Zrinka Vrabec-Mojzes, said it was especially important to support the founding of private radio and television stations on a national level, and to change the composition of the Telecommunications Council in order to depolitise and strengthen the profession. She warned that moral and political aptness must be removed from the journalist profession. Members of "Forum 21" are employed with the HRT, Radio 101, TV Mreza, Zagreb's OTV, including one free-lance reporter. (hina) lm jn 061600 MET nov 97