[Swprograms] Speaking of WETA : ...Radio Romania and NPR: Some Surprising Similarities]

[Daniel Say <say@xxxxxx>]

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Subject: NPR : Radio Romania and NPR: Some Surprising Similarities
X-URL: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4518245

Column by Jeffrey A. Dvorkin
         NPR Ombudsman
By [13]Jeffrey A. Dvorkin


Radio Romania and NPR: Some Surprising Similarities

   [14]NPR.org, March 1, 2005 ? Sometimes, the best perspectives about
   home are found away.

   I spent the last week in Bucharest, on the invitation of the
   journalists and managers at Radio Romania. They asked me to speak
   about the role of an ombudsman in an independent public radio system.

   The visit was certainly enlightening for me, and it got me thinking
   about some aspects of public radio in America that we sometimes take
   for granted.

   Some Differences

   There are many significant differences between NPR and Radio Romania:
   the most important being Radio Romania's relationship with the
   Romanian Parliament.

   Funding for Radio Romania comes from a compulsory license fee paid by
   everyone who owns a radio or television. But the authorization for
   broadcasting comes directly from parliament.

   NPR, on the other hand is a private, not-for-profit corporation. It
   receives some money indirectly, from the U.S. Congress through
   federally funded agencies such as the Corporation for Public
   Broadcasting. In total, that amounts to about 1 percent of its annual
   budget.

   Some Tough Choices

   In Romania, some parliamentarians are often deeply involved with daily
   programming, giving their opinions on who should be interviewed and
   for how long. While some politicians told me they are committed to the
   principles of an "arm's-length" relationship with public radio, others
   seem less sure and believe that Radio Romania must act as a
   counterbalance to a lively but often scandal-obsessed private media.

   A few politicians would prefer Radio Romania to be an "official" voice
   of government, with perhaps a bit of folk music thrown in, most people
   inside Radio Romania want a more western model -- an independent and
   skeptical radio service.

   The question is how to balance those competing and conflicting
   interests and values.

   Management on a Tightrope

   News management everywhere is a balancing act.

   But in Bucharest, management has to walk a very narrow line between
   the heavy presence of the politicians and the prickly instincts of the
   journalists, who are quick to bristle with accusations of censorship
   at the least sign of pressure -- either internal or external.
   Sometimes, the journalists may sense that any attempt at management is
   a harbinger of censorship.

   The Communist Legacy

   The 800-pound gorilla in every meeting I attended was, of course, the
   late and entirely unlamented communist leader, Nicolae Ceaucescu.

   Ceaucescu ran a uniquely brutal regime even by the appalling standards
   of 20th century European communism. It ended on Christmas Day, 1989,
   when he and his wife Elena were executed and a democratic government
   took over. But Ceaucescu's ghost haunts Romania still.

   Romanians constantly ask themselves how they can create long-lasting
   democratic institutions including a free press. This issue is key for
   Radio Romania.

   An Ombudsman for Radio Romania?

   So under these complicated conditions, would an ombudsman at Radio
   Romania make a difference?

   That was the question I was repeatedly asked -- but found extremely
   difficult to answer. I believe an ombudsman could be a force for an
   open and accountable media, but years of repression have left behind a
   legacy of suspicion, defensiveness and distrust that will take some
   time to overcome.

   I do, however, hope that Radio Romania appoints an ombudsman. He or
   she will have to have nerves of steel and come prepared for some
   difficult issues and some very tough political interests, since
   journalism tends to take its cues from the political environment. In
   Romania, journalism, like politics, is not a spectator sport.

   Different Radios -- Same Questions

   Public Radio journalists in Romania and the United States do face
   similar issues:

   ? How are media truly accountable to the public they purport to serve?

   ? How can a public broadcaster remain independent of the special
   political and financial interests?

   ? How can management embolden its journalists to commit fearless and
   responsible journalism without unleashing a backlash from its
   political masters?

   ? What are the confidence-building measures that all sides need to
   create a radio service that is journalistically reliable and credible
   in the eyes (and ears) of the listeners?

   I came away deeply impressed with the passion of the Radio Romania
   staff, which is committed to creating a truly public service radio.

   We should wish them well, because their success or failure will have
   its impact on all of us.

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