Czech TV boss given deadline

PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- Controversial Czech TV director Jiri Hodac has come under mounting pressure from his superiors to resume regular programming in the face of striking journalists.

The Czech Television Council urged Hodac to "immediately take all legal steps" so the station performs its public duty.

The statement came on the eleventh day of a tense standoff between Hodac and reporters at the station who want him to step down.

For the first time in two days, Hodac's team managed late on Saturday to broadcast a makeshift programme consisting of reports related to the crisis. But the programme lasted for 15 minutes instead of the usual 45 minutes.

The station's newsroom remains under the control of rebellious journalists who have holed up there day and night throughout their strike, refusing to recognize Hodac's authority, claiming their new boss is politically biased and sympathetic to the policies of Vaclav Klaus, the country's former premier.

Miroslav Mares, who heads the government council that appointed Hodac on December 20, said the panel gave the director a January 2 deadline to resume full broadcasting, including the news reports.

The Television Council is a supervisory body that has the right to fire Hodac if its members are not satisfied with the way he handles the situation.

Mares said Hodac was asked to make sure all paperwork -- such as dismissal notices to rebellious staffers -- was done correctly and news reports resumed.

The council's statement did not mention any possible police action against the striking reporters. Hodac previously indicated he was ready to call in the police to clear the newsroom, which remained occupied by the striking journalists despite dismissal orders.

Interior Minister Stanislav Gross was quoted as saying in Saturday's edition of the daily Pravo, "Right now I have no legal basis for (police) action."

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Czech TV

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