08. 06. 2005

APOLOGY FOR BROADCAST PUTS BRUTAL PRESSURE ON MEDIA

BELGRADE, June 8, 2005 – The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) registers the strongest protest at the apology by the deputy mayor of Kragujevac, Sasa Milenic, to Bishop Jovan of Sumadija for the municipal broadcaster’s airing of the first episode of the ANEM series “Why people whisper in Church” and the descriptions of the program given as the reason for this. This irresponsible statement by Sasa Milenic is the most serious form of pressure on the media. To describe a serious television documentary which focuses on and questions the role of the Church, as an important element of this society, in a particular period of history as “a grave insult to the religious sentiments of members of the Serbian Orthodox church” is a specious argument and a blatant attempt to score cheap political points through an ostensible concern for the religious feelings of the public. It is a central principle of this Association that the role of any person or any religious community, including the Serbian Orthodox Church, in a society aspiring to democracy may not and must not be taboo. Public media regulations make it clear that dealing with issues of concern to the society is precisely the task of public media outlets such as Radio Television Kragujevac. References in the statement of the Kragujevac deputy mayor to “the professional responsibility of the management” of the municipal broadcaster as a public company confirm ANEM’s serious concern that extended delays in privatizing local public media operated by local government authorities results in unacceptable pressure on their operations, jeopardizes their independence and lays them open to political abuse. ANEM reiterates its demand to the appropriate state bodies that there be no further delay in adopting appropriate regulations for the compulsory privatization of radio and television stations operated by local government authorities. This must be done in order to stop the further abuse and destruction of these media.