NEW MEDIA PURGES

A major purge is pending in Croatian state and para-state media. Numerous editors-in-chief are to be relieved of office and new papers set up to counter the existing already established non-regime ones. Nevertheless, the confusion and names being bandied about, especially when it is known that even more radical regime men are to come to these papers, and moderate ones to TV, indicate that a struggle for power within the HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union) which has spilled over to the media is actually in question.

AIM, ZAGREB, September 29,1994

The media picture of Croatia has largely changed in comparison to the "post-revolutionary time", after the change of authorities in 1990, when the HDZ broom swept away from newstands everything that was not unreservedly in support of the democratically elected authorities headed by the "leader of all Croats", Dr.Franjo Tudjman. The purge was so profound that it is estimated that some 600 journalists lost their jobs, while the papers which could not be disciplined and harnessed into the cart of the "new democracy" were simply wiped out. However, what under the pressure of Europe, what due to the awakening of journalists who did not consent to the Great Referee counting to ten, and financial aid from without, especially from the "Open Society" Foundation, the newstands are a motley again, not only in terms of colour but also of journalism and ideas.

It is therefore today possible to find papers of all profiles, to everyone's taste and political orientation in the central Zagreb square of Ban Josip Jelacic, although, admittedly, those sympathizing with the ruling elite are most numerous. It is difficult to remember or list everything being published in Croatia and even more difficult what has disappeared. A new political weekly, the "Pecat", recently appeared, with almost the same team which once made the original "Danas" and then the "Novi Danas".It is difficult to explain why so many people wish to have "their" paper and what drives them to pursue such an unrewarding, demanding, complicated and uncertain business such as publishing newspapers, but it is a fact that, in Croatia today it is possible once again to live well off journalism and that the price of journalistic work is going up daily.

Four daily papers - the "Vjesnik", "Vecernji list", "Slobodna Dalmacija" and "Glas Slavonije", despite the labels of "independent" or "private" beside their names, are actually state papers. The state also has its "Danas", which is purportedly privately owned, but in the 21 months of its publication it has not paid a signle cent for paper and printing. Then there is the "Panorama" with the staff of the once notorious ST, with the financial backing of the Herzegovinian lobby headed by minister Gojko Susak, and the journalistic support of Pero Zlatar and Goran Milic. This circle directly supporting the authorities also includes the "Nedeljna Dalmacija" and some other local weeklies or bi-weeklies, and a number of insignificant small papers.

But, although the Croatian authorities have directly copied the tactics of the Serbian ones, namely that the important thing is television as newspapers are anyway read by a small number of people, and the number of those among them siding with the authorities is even smaller, the strategists of Croatian policy have suddenly become scared. The got the correct impression that much space has been left for those not ready unreservedly to support everything coming from the presidential palace. The official press has become unable to compete with the media which have won the struggle for their own view of journalism, and are, irrespective of all the support received from the state, losing the battle.

The danger threatens of a single private newspaper house, which started rather modestly several years ago, overtaking all pro-state papers both in circulation and influence. The "Globus international d.d." enterprise is currently publishing the weekly "Globus" with an impressive circulation of about 150,000 sold copies, and is despite its "yellow" nature, a devastating critic and denouncer of numerous scandals. Although we must say that their editorial principle is : publish everything that sells the paper, which means even interviews with the blackest Ustashi or vagabonds. They recently founded a bi-weekly women's revue, the "Glorija", with a circulation of almost 200,000 copies, and recently became a truly big company when they bought the "Arena" and several other editions, and got excellent premises on two stories in "Vjesnik's" skyscraper with the latest in graphic equipment. Besides already starting to redesign the papers they got as a dowry, their main intention is actually to start a daily paper, in all likelihood along the lines of the "Bild" tabloid or another yellow model.

The "Globus" is so strong financially that it can buy any journalist it fancies, because not infrequently its editors and good writers earn as much as five to six thousand marks, and has seriously threatened to recruit into its ranks all those dissatisfied with their pittances in other papers.

Then there is the unavoidable "Feral Tribune", which sells in about 50,000 copies, something which the regime "Danas", with its present pitiful five-six thousand can only dream of. The "Panorama" on the other hand, can hardly compete with the "Vijenac", the increasingly popular paper of the Matica Hrvatska, which President Tudjman recently ranked on a high third place on his list of enemies. It is yet to be seen how the "Pecat" will be received in the market. Among the dailies, the Rijeka "Novi list" is not to be neglected, as the only really independent and private daily, and small bi-weeklies such as the Osijek "Bumerang" or the Zagreb "Arkzin" are also not without influence.

All these are the reasons for the panic forcing the authorities to try to turn unfavourable developments to their advantage. A few days ago there was a change at the helm of the "Nedeljna Dalmacija", where experienced Drazen Gudic was replaced by rigid and untalented Dubravko Grakalic, the main idea being to move the seat of this paper from Split to Zagreb. At the same time, it is increasingly certain that the "Danas" will be extinguished and that a new political paper will start coming out - with the editorial core comprising Milan Ivkosic, Dunja Ujevic and Jozo Zuric- all three of them well-known journalistic hawks.

It is public knowledge that the state has finally decided to sell the "Vjesnik" ( it not presently known exactly to whom, but probably to itself again), and it is assumed that the present editor-in-chief, Kresimir Fijacko, will have to hand over his post to someone else. Perhaps to Olga Ramljak, a commentator for the "Slobodna Dalmacija", perhaps to someone else even less competent for the job.There is a lot of speculation on the departure of the editor of the "Vecernji list", Branko Tudjen, who is allegedly to be rewarded with a diplomatic post, and there are numerous combinations concerning the new boss. A change is also to take place in the "Slobodna Dalmacija", where Josip Jovic is to leave the helm, and be replaced by someone more obscure.

But, although doing his propaganda job well, even HTV (Croatian TV) officials are not sure of their posts, so that there is much speculation about the final departure of Antun Vrdoljak and that the same fate is in store for Tomislav Marcinko. In late spring Mirko Galic, once the editor of "Danas" and now "Vjesnik" correspondent from Paris was appointed director of Television, but this decision of the Government cannot be realized, because Galic is not interested in procuring magnetoscopes and dealing with salaries, but programme editing. His post is still unfilled, despite his having been and remained Tudjman's favourite.

But precisely these details concerning television point to the other dimension of what is presently happening in the Croatian state and para-state media. Just as it is clear that the names in circulation for new political editors of papers cannot compete with the onset of freedom and compromise-free journalism which professionals do not necessarily always have to like, but the market demands it, and the fact that in a large number of cases they are even worse than those holding the posts now, the battle for TV has another side. It is evident that the political strife within the ruling party has spilled over to the media and that the radical wing of the HDZ wishes to radicalize the papers, not understanding that there is no demand for such journalism.

Since things are the opposite in the case of television, because one must admit that Mirko Galic is nevertheless no Marcinko let alone Vrdoljak, this situation in which "the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing" at first glance, it is clear what schisms took place in the HDZ and what a big favour Manolic and Mesic did to Croatian democracy, despite the fact that their party does not stand much chance at the elections.

Panic is just the first layer of the new media purge, which will if carried out as announced, have even more lethal effects on the HDZ despite satisfying those in that party still constituting a majority. That majority now shaking Parliament but not the Government and diplomacy, will actually see to the end what Mesic and Manolic started. It will show its true primitive, non-intellectual and populist face, which is less and less popular.

In the end it will have only mere coercion, attempts to do away with the freedom of the press by statutory regulations, which the notorious Vladimir Seks already attempted on several occasions, suggesting even provisions according to which it would be punishable to slander even the receptionist in Parliament, let alone deputies, or God forbid - the President.

Nonetheless, things seem to have gone so far that yet another straightening out of journalists in such a short period of time will not be allowed to happen.

GOJKO MARINKOVIC