http://www.chroniclesmagazine.org/?p=768
Defamation on B92 TV
by Srdja Trifkovic
On the last day of October I was crudely libeled on B92, a leading
"pro-Western" TV network in Serbia, in a live program in which I appeared as an
invited guest. The facts of the case follow herewith; its finale may yet come
in a courtroom.
Last Thursday, October 30, I received a call on my cell phone in Belgrade
which I am currently visiting from a producer with B92 Television, a national
conglomerate regarded as the most USG/EU/NATO-friendly media corporation in the
country. I was invited to take part in "The State of The Nation" (Stanje
nacije), a 30-minute current affairs program that was going to be broadcast
live at 6 p.m. the following day, Friday, October 31. The topic was to be the
forthcoming presidential election in the United States.
I accepted this invitation although I disagree with many positions taken by the
B92, because appearing on a network does not imply endorsement of its editorial
policy. I have appeared on B92 before, notably on a popular Sunday panel-style
program "The Week's Impression" (Utisak nedelje). Likewise over the years I
have accepted invitations from the BBC, CBC, Sky News, ITN, MSNBC, etc. on more
than one hundred occasions although I disagree with many aspects of their
corporate philosophy, reportage, or editorial commentary.
While introducing the guests, former government minister Professor Zarko Korac
and myself, the presenter said that I had described John McCain as a "neurotic
cockroach." I have never said or written anything of the kind, but I did not
correct him right away because I was initially uncertain whether he was giving
a personal, somewhat colorful interpretative summary of my views of Sen.
McCain, or providing a purported verbatim quote.
Having reviewed the recording of the program I can confirm that the latter was
the case: the presenter alleged that I called John McCain "a neurotic
cockroach." This was an untruthful statement about me. It was presented to a
wide audiencethrough broadcast media. It was invented out of whole cloth, and
therefore malicious in intent. By asserting that I stoop to the language of the
gutter, B92 undermined my credibility as a journalist and analyst, thus
injuring myprofessional and personalreputation andstanding. In other words, it
is a classic case of libel.
I will give B92 an opportunity to apologize, to issue a correction worded to my
satisfaction to be broadcast in the same program, and to settle my damages out
of court. It is to be hoped that they will see the error of their ways and act
responsibly and reasonably.
On the other hand they may decide to remain true to the principles of
journalism as practiced by the paragons of media integrity and independence in
the Western world, such as the Murdoch empire, CNN's Ms. Amanpour, or the Gray
Lady, in which case I'll be pleased to lighten their coffers. Watch this space!
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