23. 12. 2005

“NOT SO SLOW” TRANFORMATION OF RTV NS

NOVI SAD, December 23, 2005 – Radio Television Novi Sad Director Petar Jovanovic denied allegations of the Minority Council representatives. The Vojvodina Ethnic Minority Council has recently demanded dismissals in RTV Novi Sad for the slow transformation of this media into a provincial broadcast service. Jovanovic said that the transformation of the RTV Novi Sad was progressing according to the plan, and that the divisional balance, prepared two years ago, could be adopted as soon as the Serbian Government gave the consent. RTV Novi Sad Director denied the allegations on the dismissal of the chief editors and suspended journalists in the minority program newsrooms. According to Jovanovic, the reductions in the number of staff members were resulted by the organizational reorganization. Jovanovic also said the organisation of this media was conducted in line with the recommendations of the audit agency appointed by the RTS two years ago. Jovanovic pointed out that Radio Novi Sad currently broadcast ten hours more program in minority languages than the program in Serbian. According to him, the Union representatives in this media house, who demanded the dismissal of the current management of the RTVNS jointly with the minority councils, were not authentic.