05. 12. 2013

Republic broadcasting agency warned Radio B92 and RTV

Belgrade, December 3, 2013 (Beta, Tanjug) - Republic broadcasting agency warned Radio B92 about  jeopardizing the dignity of personality and function of the Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic in the show "Mentalno razgibavanje". The warning was issued in relation to the show broadcasted October 4. Republic broadcasting agency estimated that RBA General binding instructions on broadcasters' practice relating to ban of "extremism and insulting speech" were breached.

It is cited that the entertaining show dating from October 4 broadcasted swapped around news from RTS, and among them, the one referring to the Government "suspending the President Nikolic at today's session because of pimping the boys out to former bishop Vasilije Kachavenda".

RBA asserted that the President Nikolic was brought into connection with the execution of difficult criminal act of pimping out minors and enabling the execution of sexual intercourse, which "in no way" can be considered as irony, humor or satire.

Today, RBA warned RTV as well, since its author Laszlo Tot showed "biased, unprofessional and non objective approach" while interviewing Atifete Jahjaga, the President of Kosovo.

RBA Council Deputy President Goran Karadzic said that this entity warned RTV for the program content "not corresponding to the editorial policy and journalists' standards" and that this agency "has authority to exercise measures in line with the Law on broadcasting if estimated that there was a breach of law". 

"By this warning, in line with the Law on broadcasting, the broadcaster is reminded that similar errors should not be done" Karadzic said to Tanjug.

He added that "the next measure" would be public warning executed in case the broadcaster did  something similar or breached the law by some other act".

"But, I am convinced it will not be the case, considering up-to-date work of RTV", Karadzic said.

He emphasized that RBA had jurisdiction to execute measures in line with the Law on broadcasting if estimated that the breach of law occurred.

Karadzic added that the management of TV was aware of the error and that "it executed measures towards people who ran the show, in line with their internal regulations".

Journalists' associations IJAS and IJAV reacted to the RBA decision

The President of the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia Vukasin Obradovic estimated that the speed and decisiveness of RBA decision to warn RTV is surprising, since the Agency did not react in such a way in other needed circumstances.

"This sudden zeal of RBA reminds me of bragging about patriotism. We do not bring into question if there were professional flaws in interview published by Laszlo Tot" Obradovic said to Beta news agency.

He said there had been many situations in which RBA could have reacted to, but it had not, which left the impression that the Agency wanted "to use a patriotic card, which is fashionable".

The President of the Independent Journalists' Association of Vojvodina Dinko Gruhonjic estimated that RBA decision to warn RTV and Radio B92 was surprising and that its goal was fawning over the politicians in power.  

"RBA's decision to warn RTV and B92 is surprising, to say the least, considering the fact we are not used to RBA doing anything to put in order a vulgar media scene in Serbia", Gruhonjic said.
According to him, RBA wanted to fawn over the politicians in power.

Democratic party said that RBA must not be put in function of suffocating media freedom and criticized RBA's warning to Radio B92 and RTV, while at the same neglecting much greater breaching of the Law on broadcasting.

"Even though DS thinks creativity of the criticized journalists could be called vulgar, it is not permissible that RBA criticizes Radio B92 for offending the President of Serbia, and at the same time it does not react to certain TV stations' abuse of national coverage for confronting political opponents, states, individuals, media, journalists, politicians and organization which offended the owners of these TV stations or the Serbian government", DS press release says.

Today, it was announced that RBA also warned the Association of citizens "Forma plus" from Bajina Basta, the founder of Radio Four, for not respecting the program conditions given in broadcasting license.