Belgrade January 1, 2002 – Television B92 informs the public, and in particular its viewers in Belgrade and Vojvodina who follow the programming via the IBC Television transmission, that between 9.00pm and 10.00pm on December 31, 2001, IBC Television interrupted the TV B92 transmission and broadcast its own programme.

In March last year, an agreement was reached on business cooperation between Television B92 and IBC Multimedia, the company which founded IBC Television, according to which IBC Television undertook the obligation to transmit the TV B92 programming all day, other than between 12.00 and 1.00pm and 9.00pm to 10.00pm, when IBC Television should broadcast its own programming. IBC Television, however, from the very first day of the contract did not use the opportunity and instead broadcast the B92 programming everyday, without interruption.

In spite of the contractual obligation to inform the contract partners in good time, IBC Television late afternoon on Friday December 28, 2001, without any prior consultations informed TV B92 that from December 30, 2001 it would begin using its daily broadcasting times. TV B92 objected that the time frame for such an argument was too short and not in accordance with proper business relations, that B92 cannot alter its programme schedule within 24 hours on New Year’s Eve, that such behaviour would cause serious harm to B92 and that the problem should be resolved in agreement and coordinated with the programming plan. We received no answer. The programming of Television B92 was actually interrupted for the first time yesterday, during New Year’s Eve, illustrating particular intent on behalf of IBC to harm B92 as much as with its viewers as with business partners.

We do not wish to comment on the IBC programme that the viewers of TV B92 could see instead of the programme they expected. TV B92 apologises to its viewers for this unpleasant occurrence, which could not be prevented since the transmission switches are on IBC premises. Hence, we are not in a position to exercise any influence over future disconnection.

Television B92 would like to point out to the public that this occurrence confirms our opinion that B92 and many other independent stations across Serbia are still hostages to the regime of Slobodan Milosevic and that the new authorities have done nothing regarding the distribution of frequencies, except to freeze the situation created by the Yugoslav Left and Socialist Party of Serbia in the interests of their party comrades and friends of the regime. Because of this today we have the paradoxical situation whereby broadcasting licenses are held by stations which are incapable of broadcasting any kind of programming and which have been established merely to take the place of those which have something to say and to offer to the viewers. When, from October 5, 2001, we opposed a moratorium in such a situation and instead advocated the rapid adoption of new legislation and temporary solutions which would in the meantime correct the injustices and irrationality, certain very responsible members of the new authorities, who had carried out a number of other reforms in our society, decried our attitude as the seeking of privileges and instead stood in the way of change and the search for temporary solutions. Indirectly, in dragging out the adoption of the Broadcasting Law they are battling to slow it down.

Television B92 does not understand this position, does not understand in whose interest it is today, more than a year after the democratic changes, to keep on the air those broadcasters who received frequencies utterly without transparency, literally as a gift from the Yugoslav Left and the Socialist Party of Serbia, without any normal programming schedule and with the only aim of choking the democratic changes. Regardless of whether the new authorities, without interest or understanding, in fear or intentionally, preserve such a situation in broadcasting, B92, in cooperation with other stations, members of ANEM, and all others concerned by the situation, will continue to battle with all means and to demand rapid change in the field of frequency distribution, with the same intensity and motivation with which we support or demand all other positive changes in our society. We are certain that in this process we have the support of all our viewers and listeners, who certainly deserve better. Neither do we give up hope for the understanding of the state which up till now has been missing. Despite all obstacles and unequal treatment, Television B92’s ratings continue to grow and we will do all that we can to offer even better programming to an even wider audience.

Veran Matic
Editor in Chief RTV B92