Institute for International Relations

International Seminar

Ten Years After - The Media in Transition Lessons in Central and Eastern Europe: A New Strategy for Independent and Pluralistic Media in Croatia
Zagreb, Croatia, 10-11 November 2000

Organized by:
UNESCO Programme for Freedom of Expression, Democracy and Peace, Paris
Institute for International Relations - IMO, Zagreb

Supported by:
Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia
Croatian Commission for UNESCO
Croatian Journalists Association

The seminar is also supported by:
East-East Program of the Open Society Institute - Croatia
British Embassy Zagreb
KLIK multimedia

Announcement

It is our pleasure to invite your participation at the international seminar 10 Years After - The Media in Transition Lessons in Central and Eastern Europe: A New Strategy for Independent and Pluralistic Media in Croatia, which will take place in Zagreb, Croatia, on 10-11 November 2000.

The seminar, organized by UNESCO's Programme for Freedom of Expression, Democracy and Peace, and the Institute for International Relations - IMO, Zagreb, will be supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, Croatian Commission for UNESCO, and Croatian Journalists Association. It aims to contribute to the development of a new strategy for pluralistic and democratic media policy in Croatia.

The seminar is to discuss the experiences of shaping a democratic and market viable media policy in transition countries, with the objective of assisting the Republic of Croatia in readjusting its media policy thus assuring full independence and plurality within the media system.

The seminar will bring together Croatian policy makers (government officials dealing with media and parliament members), journalists, media owners and managers, as well as international and Croatian media experts. The expected outcome of the seminar is an increased understanding of the changing trends in media policy in Europe, a better understanding between the government and media professionals concerning the main aims and directions of media policy needs in Croatia, and the continuation of the democratization process of the public debate in the media policy field.

The new Croatian government has expressed its intention to ensure that the media system would develop in a fully democratic manner. This seminar will provide the opportunity for all interested participants in Croatia to further develop the media policy dialogue with the policy makers in the field, highlight the still unresolved issues and discuss preferable solutions.

The conference languages will be Croatian and English, with simultaneous translation.

Agenda

Friday, 10 November 2000

8:00 Registration

9:00 Opening of the seminar

Zeljka Antunovic, Deputy Prime Minister, Croatia
Alain Modoux, Assistant Director General of UNESCO
Mladen Stanicic, Director, IMO
Zrinjka Perusko Culek, Department for Culture and Communication, IMO

9:30 Coffe break

9:45 Public's right to know and public authorities obligations: the media in democracy

Moderator: Alain Modoux, Assistant Director General of UNESCO

John Keane, Centre for the Study of Democracy, University of Westminster
Dragutin Lucic, President, Croatian Journalists Association
Vesna Alaburic, Lawyer, Croatia
Aleksandra Kolaric, Government Spokesperson, Croatia

Discussion

This session will focus on the issues of freedom and independence of media from political influence, freedom of expression, ways of securing media freedom and independence, in the light of international and Croatian experiences.

12:30 Lunch

13:30 Public service media

Moderator: Leif Lønsmann, Managing Director, Danish Broadcasting Corporation

Mirko Galic, Director, Croatian Radio and Television (HRT)
Nada Zgrabljic, "Initiative for Public Radio", Editor of Medijska istraživanja, Croatia

Discussion

This session will focus on the experiences of public service media transformation in Eastern and Western Europe (including the ways of guaranteeing independence for public service media, the role of public service as a safeguard of cultural identity) and on international supports in financing and programmes. Issues relating to the Croatian Radio and Television, like guidance for a legal status securing independence, over staffing, need for training, development of self-incomes, will be addressed as well.

16:00 Coffee break

16:30 - 18:30 Commercial radio and television

Moderator: Alfonso Ruiz de Assin, Vice-president, Association of European Radio

Steve Turner, Director of Phoenix TV, UK
Zrinka Vrabec Mojzes, Radio 101, Croatia

Discussion

The focus of this session includes micro economical approach: self-sustainability in a developing market economy, allocation of frequencies, editorial independence, media networking, news gathering, programme exchanges.

19:30 - 20:30 Cocktail offered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Saturday, 11 November 2000

9:00 Professional ethics and freedom of the press

Moderator: Aidan White, Secretary General, International Federation of Journalists

Stjepan Malovic, Director, International Center for Education of Journalists (ICEJ), Croatia
Jagoda Vukusic, Vice-president, Croatian Journalists Association
Aralyn McMane, World Association of Newspapers

Discussion

This session will discuss experiences in different countries regarding rights of journalists, editorial independence, journalist training, professional conduct.

11:00 Coffee break

11:30 Media and market economy

Moderator: Aralyn McMane, Director of Educational Programmes, World Association of Newspapers

Damir Matkovic, Forum 21 & HRT, Croatia
Branko Lovric, Director, Vecernji list, Croatia
Jasmina Popovic, President, Croatian Journalists Union
Lars Julin, President, Marieberg International, Sweden
Anita Kehre, Director, Latvian Media Professionals Training Center, Riga
Aidan White, IFJ

Discussion

This session will examine macro economical aspect, including press freedom's new challenges in the light of technological changes and market economy in transition as well as experiences in the crucial quest for economic viability of media.

13:00 Lunch

14:00 Round table: Croatian challenges and prospects for the media

Moderator: Zrinjka Perusko Culek, Department for Culture and Communication, IMO

This session will discuss the way the new Government and the media can contribute, each in its field of competence, to the development of independent and pluralistic media landscape in Croatia. The round table will provide an opportunity for all the participants to voice their concerns and suggest solutions for the development of a democratic media policy in Croatia. Issues examined will include guarantees for both private and public sectors, legal support, training structures etc.

15:30 Conclusions on Croatian media policy development

Alain Modoux, UNESCO and Nenad Prelog, Assistant Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Representative of the Croatian Commission for UNESCO