nettime: Croatia -- Media Alert

[Geert Lovink <geert@xs4all.nl>]

Subject: (Fwd) Croatia alert update
Reply-to: iskoric@igc.apc.org

After seven years of communism and six years of nationalism the 
governmental bureaucracy in Croatia finally quashed Radio 101, one of 
the first independent, democratically minded and free-market based 
electronic media in Eastern Europe. Radio 101 continued to prosper 
all those years despite all the governmental harassment the radio 
and, particularly, some of its journalists were subjected to over years: 
a poll taken by magazine Obzor among 1000 random Zagreb radio listeners 
just a day before the infamous shutdown, showed that 94,7% were for 
Radio 101 to be allowed to continue operation.

Radio Globus, which won the concession, however, is not a front operation, 
like so many of "privatized" enterprises in Croatia, of a Tudjman's 
Inc. And they refused to take what they think belongs to the Radio 
101. Croatia is ruled by the same bureaucracy that run the show under the 
communists. They just want to get their toys back and they skillfully 
use market now to do the job. Electronic media are just one of the 
most obvious example - this is a clear attempt to establish a monpoly 
on information (the thing they so much miss from the previous regime, 
obviously) by buying all TV and Radio stations - be they 
willing or not.

Ah, and, by the way, this is how that monopoly works: 
Radio 101 was the first and so far (Arkzin is having a huge story in 
the next issue and I bet Feral Tribune would not miss that either) 
the only journalistic entity that announced that Franjo Tudjman, 
the President of Republic of Croatia, has a cancer of esophagus and 
is being treated out of the country (in the Walter Meed Hospital in 
Bethesda, Md.). If the Council of Europe, that just recently welcomed 
Croatia, allows this shutdown to stand, then E.U. and the U.S. - that 
agreed to hospitalize Croatian conducatore - better donate some 
sattelitte dishes to Croatian citizens so they can get free CNN, 
at least to know what's going on with their own President.

Expectedly the news were not taken lightly:
1) Radio 101 continued broadcasting (legally it can until November 
30th)
2) The world is sending messages of support - you can do that, too:
write To: r101@vukovar.unm.edu
Subject: Your Name, City, State/Country
3) Radio Globus that was awarded 101's frequency refused to take it.
4) Peter Galbraith, American ambassador to Croatia showed up at Radio 
101 just two hours after the decision in show of support
5) Tudjman is still in an American hospital
6) the list of organizations, politicians, institutes, people, 
companies other media, etc. who support 101 is too long to be 
mentioned here - let's just say that besides Tudjman and few of his 
henchman it seems that everybody else is on the side of 101
7) Right now there are a few thousands of people in the streets of 
Zagreb: Bad Blue Boys, fans of soccer club Dinamo (the name was by 
another Presidential whim changed to Croatia, though) organized 
demonstrations, and all the young people joined. Students brought 
their teachers. Refugees and 'displaced persons' joined, too. War 
veteran joined. Even active military units joined the demonstrations 
(special forces units like Tigers and Alpha). It looks pretty much 
like when Yeltsin climbed atop of a tank... I think that Tudjman 
might want to prolong his cancer treatment for a while. Even his 
party officials for city of Zagreb are against the decision.

ivo



------- Forwarded Message Follows -------


______________________________ 

****  ******  ******  **   **
 **   **      **       ** **
 **   *****   *****     ***        ACTION ALERT 
 **   **      **       ** **
****  **      ******  **   **
International Freedom of Expression eXchange Clearing House 
________________________________________________________________ 
Date: 20 November 1996
     
CROATIA: Radio 101 forced to cease operations
     
ORIGINATOR: Reporters sans frontieres (RSF), Paris
     
      **Updates IFEX alert dated 2 October 1996**
     
On 20 November 1996, the Croatian Telecommunications Council 
refused a licence to Radio 101, the last independent radio 
station in Croatia. The Council's decision will force Radio 101 
to stop transmitting at the end of November. The Council cited 
"financial reasons" for the refusal; however, Ivic Pasalic, an 
advisor to President Franjo Tudjman, added that "Radio 101 was 
too political." 
     
Radio 101's editor-in-chief stated that the station will fight 
the decision.
     
BACKGROUND:
According to an alert originated by the Committee to Protect 
Journalists (CPJ), on 15 July, Radio 101 had failed for the 
second time to obtain a long-term broadcasting licence, in spite 
of having provided documentation said to be missing in its first 
application and having paid fees amounting to more than US$ 
35,000 for three temporary licences. The latest temporary licence 
was due to expire on 15 November. Operating since 1983, Radio 101 
has become a very popular, award-winning station (see IFEX 
alert).
     
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
     
Send appeals to authorities:
-denouncing the continued harassment of the independent Croatian 
media
-urging that everything be done so that Radio 101 may continue to 
transmit freely
     
APPEALS TO:
     
His Excellency Franjo Tudjman
President of the Republic of Croatia 
Zagreb, Croatia
Fax: +385 1 443 075/444 532/456 5188
     
Mr Zeyno Luzavec
Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Communication 
Prisavlje 14
10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Fax: +385 1 611 0691
     
Please copy appeals to the originator if possible.
     
For further information, contact Jean Chichizola or Franck 
Petit at RSF, 5, rue Geoffroy Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel:+33 
1 44 83 84 84, fax:+33 1 45 23 11 51, e-mail: 
rsf@calvanet.calvacom.fr, Internet: http://www.calvacom.fr/rsf/
     
The information contained in this alert is the sole 
responsibility of its originator.
******************************************************* 
* IFEX CLEARING HOUSE                                 * 
* 490 Adelaide St. W. #205 Toronto ONT M5V 1T2 CANADA * 
* tel: 416-703-1638 fax: 416-703-7034                 * 
* e-mail: ifex@web.net, Internet: http://www.ifex.org * 
*******************************************************

Ivo Skoric ***** iskoric@igc.apc.org

212.369.9197  

PO Box 46, NYC NY 10029, USA

http://www.peacenet.org/balkans/

ivo.html

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