HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK ---------------------------
Now that the mouthpieces of neo-imperialism have outlived their use, it is time for them to taste life under a neo-colonialist, system of "democracy". And as a result, I can't help but laugh my head off at them! [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > --part1_99.2dba247d.2ad521f5_alt_boundary > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" > Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > > In a message dated 10/7/02 3:03:23 PM Eastern Daylight Time, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > writes: > > > > SERBIA: GOVERNMENT SEEKS MEDIA MONOPOLY > > > > Serbian authorities block media reforms to keep down independent TV > > station and prop up former Milosevic mouthpieces that now support them. > > > > By Milanka Saponja Hadzic in Belgrade > > > > Press groups close to Serbia's prime minister Zoran Djindjic have been > > attacking the country's leading independent radio and television station > > as part of a government drive to retain the virtual media monopoly it > > inherited from the Milosevic regime. > > > > The attacks began in mid-September, when the pro-government private > > television stations BK and Pink used prime time news slots to accuse > > Radio > > Television B92 bosses of privatising the company without the employees' > > knowledge and to their disadvantage. > > > > Belgrade media last week received unsigned letters allegedly written by > > anonymous B92 employees accusing their bosses of abusing the company's > > privatisation process. BK and Pink, the two largest private broadcasters > > in Serbia, which were once very close to the Milosevic regime, quoted > > these accusations in their leading news broadcasts. > > > > In the latest salvo against the station on October 4, hundreds of > > posters > > appeared overnight in Belgrade with the picture of Matic and the logo of > > B92. Underneath it was written "Caught Stealing". > > > > B92 editor Veran Matic dismissed the claims, and IWPR has seen a copy of > > the minutes of a station staff meeting, in which it's clear that most > > employees agreed with the method of privatisation proposed by the > > management. > > > > Matic charged the authorities with attempting to block B92's from having > > national coverage. Under American pressure, the authorities agreed two > > months ago to allocate the station temporary frequencies, enabling its > > television arm to cover 55 per cent of Serbian territory. > > > > Media analysts believe the government is fighting to retain as much of > > the > > press monopoly it inherited from Milosevic as it can, with independent > > media such as B92 seen threatening this goal. > > > > At home and abroad, the station is widely regarded as a symbol of > > democracy and independence, and was repeatedly closed and banned by the > > former regime. > > > > TV Pink and BK Television, owned by owned by Zeljko Mitrovic and > > Bogoljub > > Karic respectively, meanwhile acted as mouthpieces for Milosevic, only > > to > > switch sides as soon as he was ousted. > > > > The two stations are most important to the Serbian authorities as they > > reach audiences well beyond Belgrade. Between them, their broadcasts > > cover 90 per cent of Yugoslav territory, netting huge profits from > > advertising. > > > > The Serbian government, in an attempt to preserve its media monopoly, is > > dragging its feet over implementing some press reforms, including TV > > frequency regulations and a system of public inspection. Many believe > > the > > former was only adopted because it was a precondition for Yugoslavia's > > accession to the Council of Europe. > > > > As a consequence, the media that once served Milosevic have kept their > > privileged positions and their national frequencies, while the stations > > that fought hardest for democratic change are deliberately confined to a > > limited viewing audience. > > > > Matic said the situation was ironic, "The media that are an authentic > > part > > of the democratic changes in this country and a symbol of independent > > journalism are still being discriminated against because they don't have > > radio and television frequencies." > > > > In a separate development, the new authorities have done nothing to put > > a > > stop to a wave of legal cases against reporters who fought against the > > wars of the 1990s, the politics of hatred and are now campaigning for > > professional journalistic standards. > > > > Some 300 such cases are currently going through the courts, with many of > > the reporters being sued by the former regime's associates and members > > of > > the ruling coalition. > > > > This month, for example, an official in Djindjic's Democratic Party, > > Radoslav Ljubisavljevic, charged B92 with libel after the station > > reported > > that he had been handed a two-year suspended sentence in 1994 for > > forgery > > and abuse of power. > > > > Ljubisavljevic did not dispute the report's facts, but sued B92 for > > "mental anguish". "What really hurts Ljubisavljevic is the truth", the > > Association of Independent Electronic Media commented. > > > > Milka Saponja Hadzic is a freelance journalist in Serbia > > > > > > > > > --part1_99.2dba247d.2ad521f5_alt_boundary > Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" > Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > > <HTML> > > <FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" > LANG="0">In a message dated 10/7/02 3:03:23 PM Eastern Daylight Time, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:<BR> > <BR> > <BR> > <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; > MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">SERBIA: > GOVERNMENT SEEKS MEDIA MONOPOLY<BR> > <BR> > Serbian authorities block media reforms to keep down independent TV<BR> > station and prop up former Milosevic mouthpieces that now support > them.<BR> > <BR> > By Milanka Saponja Hadzic in Belgrade<BR> > <BR> > Press groups close to Serbia's prime minister Zoran Djindjic have > been<BR> > attacking the country's leading independent radio and television > station<BR> > as part of a government drive to retain the virtual media monopoly > it<BR> > inherited from the Milosevic regime.<BR> > <BR> > The attacks began in mid-September, when the pro-government private<BR> > television stations BK and Pink used prime time news slots to accuse > Radio<BR> > Television B92 bosses of privatising the company without the > employees'<BR> > knowledge and to their disadvantage.<BR> > <BR> > Belgrade media last week received unsigned letters allegedly written > by<BR> > anonymous B92 employees accusing their bosses of abusing the > company's<BR> > privatisation process. BK and Pink, the two largest private > broadcasters<BR> > in Serbia, which were once very close to the Milosevic regime, > quoted<BR> > these accusations in their leading news broadcasts.<BR> > <BR> > In the latest salvo against the station on October 4, hundreds of > posters<BR> > appeared overnight in Belgrade with the picture of Matic and the logo > of<BR> > B92. Underneath it was written "Caught Stealing".<BR> > <BR> > B92 editor Veran Matic dismissed the claims, and IWPR has seen a copy > of<BR> > the minutes of a station staff meeting, in which it's clear that > most<BR> > employees agreed with the method of privatisation proposed by the<BR> > management.<BR> > <BR> > Matic charged the authorities with attempting to block B92's from > having<BR> > national coverage. Under American pressure, the authorities agreed > two<BR> > months ago to allocate the station temporary frequencies, enabling > its<BR> > television arm to cover 55 per cent of Serbian territory.<BR> > <BR> > Media analysts believe the government is fighting to retain as much of > the<BR> > press monopoly it inherited from Milosevic as it can, with > independent<BR> > media such as B92 seen threatening this goal.<BR> > <BR> > At home and abroad, the station is widely regarded as a symbol of<BR> > democracy and independence, and was repeatedly closed and banned by > the<BR> > former regime.<BR> > <BR> > TV Pink and BK Television, owned by owned by Zeljko Mitrovic and > Bogoljub<BR> > Karic respectively, meanwhile acted as mouthpieces for Milosevic, only > to<BR> > switch sides as soon as he was ousted.<BR> > <BR> > The two stations are most important to the Serbian authorities as > they<BR> > reach audiences well beyond Belgrade. Between them, their > broadcasts<BR> > cover 90 per cent of Yugoslav territory, netting huge profits from<BR> > advertising.<BR> > <BR> > The Serbian government, in an attempt to preserve its media monopoly, > is<BR> > dragging its feet over implementing some press reforms, including TV<BR> > frequency regulations and a system of public inspection. Many believe > the<BR> > former was only adopted because it was a precondition for > Yugoslavia's<BR> > accession to the Council of Europe.<BR> > <BR> > As a consequence, the media that once served Milosevic have kept > their<BR> > privileged positions and their national frequencies, while the > stations<BR> > that fought hardest for democratic change are deliberately confined to > a<BR> > limited viewing audience.<BR> > <BR> > Matic said the situation was ironic, "The media that are an authentic > part<BR> > of the democratic changes in this country and a symbol of > independent<BR> > journalism are still being discriminated against because they don't > have<BR> > radio and television frequencies."<BR> > <BR> > In a separate development, the new authorities have done nothing to put > a<BR> > stop to a wave of legal cases against reporters who fought against > the<BR> > wars of the 1990s, the politics of hatred and are now campaigning > for<BR> > professional journalistic standards.<BR> > <BR> > Some 300 such cases are currently going through the courts, with many > of<BR> > the reporters being sued by the former regime's associates and members > of<BR> > the ruling coalition.<BR> > <BR> > This month, for example, an official in Djindjic's Democratic Party,<BR> > Radoslav Ljubisavljevic, charged B92 with libel after the station > reported<BR> > that he had been handed a two-year suspended sentence in 1994 for > forgery<BR> > and abuse of power.<BR> > <BR> > Ljubisavljevic did not dispute the report's facts, but sued B92 for<BR> > "mental anguish". "What really hurts Ljubisavljevic is the truth", > the<BR> > Association of Independent Electronic Media commented.<BR> > <BR> > Milka Saponja Hadzic is a freelance journalist in Serbia<BR> > <BR> > </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> > <BR> > </FONT> > > > </HTML> > --part1_99.2dba247d.2ad521f5_alt_boundary-- > --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
