13 November 2001
IFJ URGES GENUINE REFORM FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING
Bulgaria's leaders "must move quickly" to create a genuine public broadcasting system, urges the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in a press release published on 7 November 2001. IFJ recently sent a delegation to the country to meet with local journalist unions and assess the current state of broadcasting.
IFJ heard evidence of political influence in the elections of senior management at the state-owned Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) and Bulgarian National Television (BNT). It also heard allegations of serious financial irregularities in state television, and noted the absence of regulations concerning editorial independence.
Since February, BNR has been the target of protests by its own journalists and staff, 19 of whom were fired in March and April after they contested the appointment of Ivan Borislavov as the new Director General, according to IFJ. The protesters believed that Borislavov was inexperienced and did not present a serious plan to convert BNR into a public service broadcaster.
IFJ says journalists and media organisations in Bulgaria, which have experienced a "lack of unity" since the protests began, must come together "in solidarity" in order to convince the government of the need for an independent public broadcasting system. In addition, IFJ urges the government to implement five actions. These include introducing legal reform to eliminate the "evident political pressures on radio and television journalists and staff;" ensuring financial independence for public service broadcasters; and creating a central governing body which is editorially independent, free of political influence and has overall control on content.
To view the full report, see http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?index=663&Language=EN
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