Documentary about Kosovo banned in Czech Republic

[Sarmatian]

Which is ironic since press issues about Kosovo are one of the problems that caused the decline in Serbias ratings , together with documentaries on the wars and war crimes .

Possibly. When I compare today's situation to how it has been before 2000, now it's positively excellent, but it could be that if I lived in a liberal country before, like somewhere in Scandinavia or Ireland, I would find the current situation very bad.

For that you have to go to the "how this list was compiled" feature at the bottom of the reports (or the top in the ISI one)

Yeah, I know, but it's rather poorly explained - "The questionnaire was sent to partner organisations of Reporters Without Borders (14 freedom of expression groups in five continents) and its 130 correspondents around the world, as well as to journalists, researchers, jurists and human rights activists. A scale devised by the organisation was then used to give a country-score to each questionnaire. The Statistics Institute of the University of Paris provided assistance and advice in processing the data reliably and thoroughly". What kind of scale, who filled out questionnaire, which human rights groups, which jurists etc...

Only what is mentioned in the reports on press freedoms .

Here is 2007 report. Where did you find here info about "Does a government have a right to decide what news is broadcast or printed , is it allowed to stop transmitions and replace editorial and management staff , is it allowed to cancel entire schedules to replace them with political bollox" ?

Oh just a little thing about arrest as a traitor because the government didn't like the documentary he made .

Nothing about it in 2007 report. What's the documentary and what's the name of the journalist?

Mainly because of changes in the broadcasting act and events around B92 .

Well, here is the statement from ANEM (Association of independent electronic media, in serbian), where they're are complaining because this law allows cities, municipalities to form their own local TV, radio stations or local newspapers. They're afraid that those stations might be misused, although I don't see why they think that privately owned media couldn't be misused. Also, I'm rather inclined to bet that they're mostly afraid of the possible competition if new media are formed.

And what about B92? The station is richer and have more influence than ever.

Actually its a very good point since you didn't make the bad-worse-bad comparison , its like someone from Fianna Fail saying fine Gael are corrupt or Iran saying America supports terrorists .

You see, here you have to make a difference - I'm not the same as government of Serbia. I'd made some personal observations, in this case about Czech government putting pressure on national TV about the documentary. About that particular case. That doesn't mean that I believe everything is tip-top in my country or any other country, but that doesn't revoke my right to speak about it or makes my points less valid. It would be the same if I told you that you don't have the right to speak abot terrorism because of the IRA. It's bollox, as you say.