Strike at NIN

Velickovic was replaced on Friday, 28 February, following the Board of Directors' decision where it is stated that he "did not respect the Company Statute, having in recent months attempted to take control over part of operations that are beyond his jurisdiction, and having in this way tried to create within the company a parallel authority". The Board of Directors temporarily appointed Milovan Glisic as new editor in chief, having announced that in one month's time an active search will begin for a permanent editor in chief.

The independent union reacted by setting a strike deadline and demanding that the Board of Directors withhold its decision on Velickovic's replacement, that within three days time new members of the Board be chosen, and that within one month the Company Statute be revised. Besides the independent union, members of the NIN editorial staff also voiced their opinion regarding "the shocking and putsch-like decision on the part of the Board of Directors", stating that they are inclined to believe that "this sudden and irrational decision must have been taken under considerable political pressure coming from outside, having as its goal the stifling of NIN's sovereignty and independence". These documented statements were signed by 19 of the 29 journalists of this weekly magazine. On the conflict at NIN Vreme offers statements made by the director of the magazine, Tomislav Dzadzic, and the dismissed editor-in-chief, Dusan Velickovic.

Tomislav Dzadzic: Parallel Authority

"The decision by the Board of Directors was preceded by a petition by a number of employees in which it is mentioned, among other things, that Dusan Velickovic makes decisions which he is not authorized to make, and that he is assuming the powers of the Board of Directors and the magazine's director to accord the award for speaking, for instance. Velickovic invented the function of an extra deputy editor in chief and technical aid, and all that with an editorial staff numbering fewer that two dozen journalists. Besides that, even though I believe NIN to be a good political magazine, that it is praised from all sides and that working there is a joy, the fact remains that its circulation since its independence three years ago has been steadily on the decline. We did print 40,000 copies of the new year's issue, but circulation since than has slowly come down to 32,000. For this reason I think it is necessary to look for new people who will do a better job at organizing the journal and the activities of the editorial office.

The strike has not begun yet, because according to law there is an interim period of five days between the declaration and the beginning of any strike. Until the strike all employees are required to fulfill their duties; myself, I refuse outright all arguments by the so-called independent union regarding their refusal to work until that time, as there is no clause in the law that makes provision for such behavior. I tried speaking individually to every member of the editorial staff, asking them to participate in the preparation of the upcoming issue; but many refused. I am therefore forced to assign tasks. At the same time I refused entrance into the editing room to all freelance journalists who do not wish to work. In any case, which director anywhere in this world could allow freelance journalists to lounge about, smoke, tell jokes and laugh, and to disturb those who are doing their job?"

Dusan Velickovic: Conflict in General Approach

"The reasons for my replacement can be found in innumerable misunderstandings, including misunderstandings regarding the general approach in the magazine. I think that NIN was all too good, all too influential, and, which is crucial, all too independent to go unnoticed. In November I sought a vote of confidence from the editorial staff, which would affirm my position as editor in chief. Confidence was accorded me by a majority. The Board of Directors at that time refused the request by a part of the editorial staff for a vote which would also affirm its confidence, just as now it is refusing the request by the union that an election of new members of the Board of Directors be held.

I think that the reason behind the accusation that I am attempting to ‘create parallel authority' lies in my appointment of two deputies and one assistant who are not to the liking of some members of the Board and to a small part of the editorial staff. I think that the term ‘authority' is meaningless when applied to a newspaper. In as much as such a term is used in journalism, it seems logical that ‘authority' aught to be accorded to the editor-in-chief. Otherwise, at NIN there is no room for authority, as there are no legally recognized shareholders who could wield such authority, not to speak of the Board of Directors whose function is strictly administrative.

Therefore, I have not been seeking any type of authority, but merely the right to work under normal conditions and without hindrance, in accordance with the trust placed in me by the editorial staff at the beginning of my mandate and four months ago, when I sought reaffirmation. The question was only that of my desire to manage this type of magazine in the only way possible—in an atmosphere of democracy. That is why I am not surprised that the majority of NIN journalists, flabbergasted by the decision of the Board of Directors regarding my replacement, have begun a strike."

Studio B

The First Ten Days

by Teofil Pancic

When they grabbed Studio B from its owners about this time last year, the Belgrade city authorities and the people who ordered them into action thought they had grabbed the station for good. It turned out that even in the Balkans the authorities can be toppled

The new age began on Monday, February 22 when a slightly exalted Lila Radonjic appeared on the air. The new Studio B editor in chief promised there would be no retaliation against the people who created the station’s programming in the past year and added that they will all have to prove themselves as professionals. That must have calmed down Milorad Komrakov, the man who devoted his democratic life to fighting repugnant vengefulness and other dishonorable methods of pressure against journalists.

The entire week was marked by efforts to get the new team working together with virtually no changes in programming. The one vital change was the approach to and content of the news. The news shows were educational: the station had to inform its viewers that a number of strange things happened since February last year. When that lesson was completed they turned to drawing up a new programming scheme.

The station’s new director Zoran Ostojic still hasn’t managed to get back from the US and on Sunday, March 2, viewers sat impatiently waiting for Impression of the Week with Olja Beckovic. No one tried to hide the fact that the return of that show and its original author were the real start to what we once called NTV (independent TV). Before it came on news at seven: the election of a new BU rector; the student protest; the Zajedno protest in Kragujevac; Seselj in a village near Zemun; state of emergency in Albania; changes in NIN. As in previous days, there was no excessive coverage of the new city authorities.

And then it began. A frail Olja Beckovic versus three men: student protest leader Cedomir Jovanovic; architect Dragomir Acovic and former Belgrade Mayor Nebojsa Covic. The first two elegantly got out of Beckovic’s embrace: she was visibly restrained towards Acovic while Jovanovic was there more to be seen than to talk. Covic was ideal for questions which sometimes bordered good manners: is it true that Slobodan Milosevic slapped him; how does he feel now that he’s been thrown out by his former comrades... Covic stood up honorably to the attacks, seeking to use the show to promote himself as a moderate and decent leftist democrat.

The next day everyone was discussing the show which is a sign that it’s back in the game. Despite some opinions Beckovic has managed to turn herself and her show in a separate genre with a different set of values. She can and has to ask things that aren’t usually asked and behave as the master of the show. That does not mean that the show doesn’t need some fundamental changes but it had to start from where the NTV was stopped. On Monday, the news at seven reported on all important events in the country and around it and the city news section reported that the new mayor rode a bus to work.