Highlights

• ‘Unagreed Returns’ - stories of Jajce • Monitoring Report Media Profile: Reporter • “HERCEG-BOSNA’S” MEDIA (overview by Goran Vezic) Monitoring Report media published by Media
‘DIPLOMATIC
DEADLOCK’
RTV BiH versus the Croat Media
‘Left to live off crumbs’ - Slobodna media situation a ‘diplomatic deadlock’ Dalmacija’s view of what TV BiH offers always weight a story so that it goes in graphic of many complaints in the a direction useful to the Bosnjaks, and amount of attention, this paper said, as particular stories - the expulsion of 500 league and Albania’. Widely varying same approach.’ Srebrenica refugees on 14 Serbs visiting interpretations of the attack on Bosnjak A follow-up article on July 26 the statement of Robin Cook, supply internal corruption, emphasised the said ‘On RTV BiH no other language gulf between the media of the Federal except Bosnjak is at all present, in the regulations concerning language, and when statistics are made about the ’THEY DON’T HAVE TO
‘The stumbling block for the treatment of Islamic culture, all stories lies in the question of Federal attention as would an NBA league diplomacy, the secret Bosnjak police Ironically, TV BiH’s Dnevnik, like its Agency for Investigation and sake of the devotees of Islamic culture.’ independent counterparts OKO 22 and Documentation, and the current Television (SRT) issued an Quoting Croat-nationality Federation impassioned defence of RS media president Vladimir Soljic, as well as his presenter of Croatia Radio Television’s professionalism (30/7). It quoted Bosnjak deputy Ejup Ganic, TV BiH newscast was relayed locally by Svetlana Siljegovic, Minister of spoke hopefully of the bright-seeming Medjugorje-based Croatian Television Information in the RS government, prospects of returnees to the city. Dalmacija, widely read in Croat-majority on the offer of buses to returnees fleeing produced no evidence of ‘satanisation’ that the authorities ‘could not be held responsible for the possible reactions of MONITORING REPORT
Jajce residents’ to the ‘unagreed’ returns. were presented with no such impartiality. Published by the
Institute for War & Peace Reporting and
Media Plan
Project Director: Zlatko Dizdarevic
Editorial Team: Zlatko Dizdarevic,
and over, as the background to situation was now calming down. Aleksandra Scepanovic & Marina Bowder
Monitoring Team: MEDIA PLAN
commentary consisting exclusively of ‘Bosnjaks who irresponsibly returned to Jajce are peacefully leaving their villages IWPR is an independent conflict-
monitoring and media-support charity
that the attack took place just ‘after the working to inform the international debate
return, so that they don’t have to walk on conflict and provide a platform and other
home.’ The story did not appear again, support for voices of moderation caught in
conflict.
Slobodna Dalmacija, meanwhile had what it felt was a significant question: ‘Just think, what might have happened if a thousand Croats all of a sudden arrived, speaking from Travnik, told viewers that for example, in Bugojno?’ (6/8, page 7). Media Plan is an independent organisation
monitoring, training and developing the
‘allegedly self-organised Croat civilians’ Bosnian media.
‘around 700 Bosnjaks’. Ridzic added that the discovery of the body of Hazim Given such a tour de force by the MEDIA PLAN
Croat side that the murder never RTV BiH seem tame by comparison. happened.’ No statements by any ‘Croat Monitoring Report is free of charge, and
reprinting with credit is encouraged. IWPR
and Media Plan gratefully acknowledge the
support of the Swedish International
differed a great deal more, on the topic of VOGOSCA VIOLENCE
Development and Cooperation Agency
(SIDA) for support for this project. Other
media training, development and research
projects carried out by Media Plan and
steeply from international community TV BiH prime time news presenter IWPR in Bosnia are supported by the
European Union, US Information Agency,
National Endowment for Democracy and
refugees on a group of 14 Serbs visiting Winston Foundation for World Peace.
media observed the situation had their former homes in the suburb. It was deteriorated, Radio HB’s August 2 left to OKO 22 and TV INFO to inform presenter Mijo Kelava, and reporter Meri Obala Kulina bana 4/I, 71000 Sarajevo, tel/fax: ‘Residents of Hrvoj’s City (a former Jajce Croat hero) spontaneously gathered presented the story as third item in the wishing to express their dissatisfaction in a peaceful way, over the disastrous, Carlos Westendorp’s announcement of unplanned, and unagreed return of sanctions to fol ow infringement of the Bosnjaks throughout the municipality, Sintra Declaration, and after the Main and the generous support and help Committee meeting of the SDA). ‘In the Lancaster House, 33 Islington High St., London N1 9LH humanitarian organisations, who, by this example prove their exlusive bias in Srebrenica gathered and made a very favour of this particular people stormy protest.’ tel: (1 212) 688-1451, fax: (1 212) 371-4054 return was managed by Bosnjak against a cordon of police, but did not authorities, who again chose the policy of For back issues and other information, visit
our Web site:
At the end of this report Zlatovic stoning the Municipal building in which http:/www.demon.co.uk/iwpr/iwpr.htm
quoted the president of the Jajce the threatened Serbs took shelter. TV municipal council, Mr Lucic, who stated who, viewers learned, were congratulated devastated BiH. The long-fingered TV Mostar, was busy broadcasting the Muslim politicians, not content with objections of international representatives spending major sums of money to Croat proposals to unify Mostar’s exclusively in the area control ed by the fifth place, the official Ministry of Internal BiH Army - stole in this well-known petty Affairs report, and nothing else. On the Representative’s Mostar office. (Gasic sympathetically explained the motivation of the protesters - ‘they cannot Federal partnership (29/7) - Ivan Kristic went on to add ‘In the Zemaljski nation.) ‘Today, again, Dragan Gasic.had visit their own homes in Srebrenica’ - but his show; he specifically used today’s Presidency of BiH met and were press conference to again declare the supposed to have decided on the joining of Croat municipalities reconstruction of BiH diplomacy - illegal’(22/7). LONG-FINGERED
POLITICIANS
direction a few days later, apologising to cynicism two days later (1/8), when viewers because ‘ we still don’t have any Robin Cook’s speech about the Kristic was again the presenter - ‘In the information on the list of all the officials disappearance of BiH’s aid money due to authority is held by High Representative also produced some uneasy responses Carlos Westendorp, which is, of course, warning, ‘it should not be forgotten that from RTV BiH. Presenter Midheta completely in accordance with Bosnian- Bicakcic (27/7) announced, then failed to community aimed at .bringing to life the show, the Liberal Bosnjak Organisation’s sitting of the Council of Ministers was not Federation, we ourselves feel to be more reaction to Cook’s speech, as carried by like an empty…sweet.or a castle in the The Sunday Times . (When it came out in the Serb entity had work which took air’ (29/7). Oslobodjenje, July 29, it proved very precedence over taking their seats in the unfavourable to the government.) On Museum….in other words, the state matches the Parliament and the Ministers exactly, and everybody gets what they his audience a TV Mostar documentary, Action) press conference, in which it was editor-in-chief, Alija Behram, about the Serb poet Misa Maric. ‘Obviously, this is enemies of BiH.’ Two days on, presenter Yugoslav, no matter where on the earthly globe, always dreams of his ‘Yuga’. As operation ‘Tango’ is returning, for it will themselves illegally should not be looked be used as a means of putting pressure on graphically described how ‘Alija Behram . met with ‘the living Tito’ (Maric) and the crimes are not being mentioned, as if they never participated in the war,’ said the presented with excerpts from this event, Bosnian Croat media, meanwhile, Dnevnik presenter (21/7). The reporter filled with green, Mr Behram, Hyde Park, target of Cook’s accusations. Croat Radio Hague, ended by declaring ‘Croatia will Herceg-Bosna’s presenter Mijo Kelava never accept a revised Dayton or a told listeners on July 21 ‘How the unified BiH’(3/8). ‘Muslim’,TV Mostar itself carried a warm Sarajevo stole a million dollars’. Next day WINE AND WATER IN
the story went on: ‘In Sarajevo, there is unification of the police, was returning home: ‘We are a little excited we are going politicians who stole great cartloads of to our houses; we are all from Bijelo Polje and we are going to Bijelo Polje; its our Croat TV Mostar presenter Veselko there to see how our colleagues will the commentary of presenter Ivan Cerkez. (The subject was the union of the accept us, and I hope everything will be Kristic: ‘Well-informed journalists have Hercegovacko-Neretvanski Canton found out from reliable sources that police.) ‘Al ow me to say,esteemed certain Muslim officials have stolen viewers,that to me the police looks more around 15 million dollars of money and more like watered-down wine’(22/7). noted as having evenly and unemotionally reported on an issue to which Federation reporters and presenters often bring so it is not surprising that the EU ’SOFT AS COTTON’
approach to RS President Biljana Plavsic, BRCKO - ’NOT LYING
Croat members walked out of the DOWN’
to be placed mostly third or fourth in the shield, reporter Dzenana Sivac said ‘The site of some of the most uninhibited precedence - criticism of her was again be deferred to a working Brcko said ‘It looks as if the official new Srpska Radio news, for example, carried a by vote, and later the HDZ of 24 561 registered (Serb) citizens with representatives left the assembly.’ Then the right to vote in Brcko, and that is the Pale, sent to Plavsic. ‘Soft as cotton in basic reason for the various pressures on front of the international community, the Brcko. those who are not registered, foremost of whom call you ‘iron lady’ you as his opinion that the current shield does however, will not take this (the didn’t dare go to attend the funeral of our not adequately represent the Croat Provisional Election Commission’s hero Simo Drljaca to look into the eyes of constituents of the Canton. rejection of their appeals) lying down’ Radovan Karadzic, when it was Plavsic’s TONED DOWN:
hinted at by SRT: ‘The renewed turn to accuse. IIlustrating the denial (by MEDIA IN THE RS
registration of voters in Brcko apparently the RS Ministry of Health) of Plavsic’s statement that Karadzic never visited Meanwhile, Srpska Radio Television did not produce the desired effect, as far wounded Serb warriors in the war, Srpska seemed to be feeling besieged, for it as the relevant international factors were issued, on July 30, an energetic defence of concerned, for the turnout of Brcko material - Karadzic visiting soldiers citizens again reached 100 percent’ (21/7). with an attack - Information Minister (28/7). This was more explicitly stated by Siljegovic’s letter to the High SRT Studio Brcko: ‘the number of Serbs Representative, complaining of ‘The who registered was not in accordance constant satanisation of the Serb people with the scenario of a multi-ethnic usual, in the international news bloc, a in the media of the Muslim-Croat Bosnia. In this context the approach of string of negative events - the expulsions Federation’. She added her defence of the OSCE and the PEC (in rejecting from Jajce, registration problems in approximately 3 500 appeals to register, flow of racist texts.’ The RS Media by Serbs who did not have correct on the same day (3/8). ‘Swaggering and Council was quoted too: ‘The state media documentation).should be interpreted’ drunk, staggering all over the road’ was of the RS are involved every day in (23/7). State-owned daily Glas Srpski’s professional profile. they have faithfully correspondent ‘MN’ was also suspicious carried and interpreted points of view and about the international agenda in Brcko: the policies of government institutions.’ What was noticeable this fortnight, Human Rights envoy ) John Shattuck’s moreover, was the softened-down visit is the previously-announced spokesman Alexander Ivanko called this approach of RS media to the international community. The object of searing Brcko, whom the supervisor intends to commentary, during the previous replace with Muslims’ (29/7) (This refers monitored period, the international to an interview Brcko supervisor Robert THE WRITING ON THE
community met with further criticism, Farrand gave to Belgrade daily Vecernje certainly, but it was mainly indirect - the Novosti in which he allegedly said that this quotes of hostile politicians. But, although was his intention. Glas Srpski admitted heavily toned down, the picture of that he denied this, but headlined its next inimical foreigners siding with the article ‘Expulsion of Refugees?’) scheduling, quotes and selective coverage Compared with last fortnight’s threats, still present on Srpska RTV. ‘At the however, none of this was very severe. editorial commentary has to be seen as a donors’ conference what we were Moreover, this studio carried, without positive step taken by the official media expecting happened - the international commentary, an SFOR critique of SRT’s of the RS in this period. In addition, an unprofessionalism (1/8). (It was the only for the failure of Dayton’ (25/7) ‘The produced by one of Glas Srpski’s projects, and when the pilot has to eject, that-be. It also stands out for its coverage found on a house undergoing then the international community says, reconstruction in the Serb-control ed yet again, ‘it’s your responsibility’, said marketing, even cattle-dealing in the zone division of Brcko, the journalist consulted of separation. (It is unique in the RS for to provide full information on the English). was ‘the work of lunatics’, and promised Reporter could be criticised for failing to ‘Do Politics Influence the Media’ was numbers read as if the magazine is based Luka presenter Sanela Babic, on a special THE MEANING OF
show titled ‘Public Information in the RS, articles which appear, unsuccessfully, to ’INDEPENDENT’
and its Role in Democratisation.’ Guests magazines such as Newsweek, or Time. Association of Journalists; Nikola However, Perica Vucinic is looking to Guzijan, editor-in-chief of Banjalucke address at least one of these problems - Novine; Branko Peric, President of the RS Federation who will write for him, and is call themselves independent while Nedjo Djevic, Director of RS official also interested in setting up a cooperation displaying strong partialities. The Banja- newsagency SRNA; and Nenad and exchange relationship with a Luka based ‘Daily Independent News’ Novakovic, general manager of state- (DNN), for example, virtually never owned Glas Srpski. Unfortunately, an sends a reporter to investigate, unless the topic is President Biljana Plavsic. She, and challenging and fruitful discussion journalists dream of having their own the opposition parties supporting her, are degenerated into personal sniping and medium one day. And, in spite of the always treated sympathetically. Otherwise problems that he faces - local printing, monopolised by Glas Srpski, is too approach of Babic, who showed a printed in Belgrade - Reporter’s sales so far tendency to champion Novakovic of Glas justify an optimistic outlook. Since, by the Srpski at the expense of the others, who time of its seventh issue, it already has were interrupted or had their statements BL) also behaves like an alternative, rather finished for them. In particular, she best-selling alternative magazines in the to explain his reasons for having resigned from his former position as editor in chief was always mentioned in a positive of Glas Srpski. When Novakovic made MEDIA MOMENTS
context. The RS Socialist Party was also always positively, while the ruling Serb Luka based magazine Reporter, Babic ‘Serbian Gorazde’ ‘Srbinje’ (the RS name newscast, preferred Haris Silajdzic. Of his MONITORING REPORT
PRESENTS - REPORTER
municipalities of old Hercegovina.’ (3/8) This Banja-Luka based weekly appeals elicited the fol owing comment in presenting an outlook critical of the produced its first issue on May 20, 1997. international community - the first time Its founder and editor-in-chief is Perica Preradovic: ‘ Around 10 % of the voting Monitoring Report has ever recorded any Vucinic (38) whose working life was body of the Republica will be affected by such criticism. Presenter Azra previously spent on the staff of Belgrade Alimajstorovic (21/7) announced a report daily Borba, and independent weekly Federation territory’ (29/7). from Mostar about the meeting of magazine Vreme, also Belgrade-based. representatives of The Association of Reporter is funded by the Helsinki Human RS Association for Displaced persons Institute. Reporter specialises in investigative for the weather news ‘Silajdzic’s anxiety of these two organisations failed to journalism, and produces lively, about the weather forecast’. (22/7)The participate. ‘In BiH the right to return is provocative, irreverent pieces - the map shows the BiH Federation coloured being constantly violated: those to whom average age of its reporters is 24 - which it matters want to go back. Ministries and never fight shy of offending local powers- Republic of Herceg-Bosna’, and has nearest thing the area possesses to a recently been re-proclaimed as ‘The Herceg-Bosna-wide local newscast. Croatia TV’s presenter thought Croat Community of Herceg-Bosna’. ‘Bosnjaks are getting a disproportionately large slice of the cake, regarding immediately distinguishes the local stations spread throughout BiH, of reconstruction, repatriation and returns’ the Federation, or, for that matter, the companies (i.e. affiliated to the locally- SRT’s presenter said, of the Donors’ Republika Srpska: this is the absence of conference: ‘it sets the scene for more distribution of the donor’s cake’ (27/7). stations - ‘Good Vibrations’ in Mostar, The Doboj-based weekly magazine published papers are distributed in the ‘Dupin’ in Neum and ‘Valentino’ in Federation - Hrvatska Rijec, Tjednik, Ravne-Brcko, are more commercially- controlled municipal council, in its 1929 Slobodna Dalmacija, and Horizont. None spectacle: ‘Doctor Karadzic dawns on product. (A further 28 publications are issued by various associations, together streets, on posters, with his characteristic with 22 different varieties of religious Mona Lisa smile. Many sighed with pamphlets.) particularly those of Western KIUM. None of these agencies could Hercegovina, resort to Croatia’s state HERCEG-BOSNA’S MEDIA
and alternative press. A similar choice, with similar political implications, is ‘Herceg-Bosna’ is left, therefore, in often made by the audiences of the unique position, of being the only This will be a brief overview of are five TV stations altogether, in the reach across their semi-existent borders media in the territory which until lately four cities of ‘Herceg-Bosna’ - two in Mostar, and one each in Kiseljak, independent or even alternative. They political factors - was named ‘the Ljubusko, and Tomislavgrad - their must also be unique in tuning to the duration. HRT has, therefore, the view their own news. advantage, when it comes to range and reception quality. Its newscast ‘Herceg-Bosna Kronika’ is transmitted from the HRT station in Siroki Brijeg, and is the

Source: http://www.mediaonline.ba/en/arhiva/arhiva_izvjestaja/monitoring/1997/3-97eng.pdf