Czech TV boss keeps job

PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- The chief of public Czech Television will remain in office for the time being after his supervisors refused to fire him over alleged political bias.

The lower house of parliament called on Saturday for the Czech Television Council to fire Jiri Hodac at Monday's meeting unless he went voluntarily.

But following hours of debate, the council failed to include a vote to fire Hodac on the meeting's agenda.

"The council did not accept my proposal to vote on the dismissal of the director, or even a call on him to resign," council Vice-Chairman Vaclav Erben told reporters.

The meeting continued after Erben's statement but it appeared unlikely a vote would be taken.

Even if the council does not remove Hodac, he is still expected to be forced out eventually.

The lower house could fire the council for non-compliance as early as Friday, replacing it with one which would fire Hodac.

The lower house will meet again on January 12 to discuss a legal amendment replacing the council with one whose members would be nominated by professional and civic groups, not by politicians.

If approved, the amendment would almost certainly end Hodac's tenure within weeks.

Hodac's critics allege the former BBC journalist is biased in favour of the Civic Democrats (ODS), led by ex-Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus. Hodac denies any bias and ODS is the only major party still supporting him.

The station's staff have won support from President Vaclav Havel and the vast majority of the public.

Tens of thousands of people rallied in downtown Prague last Wednesday to support the employees in the largest public protest since demonstrations which overthrew the communism in 1989.

Hodac's December 20 appointment by the council, dominated by nominees of the ruling Social Democrats and their parliamentary ally, ODS, sparked a strike by TV employees who maintain that Hodac would slant news coverage in line with the parties' wishes.

A parliamentary election is due in mid-2002.

The station's journalists have remained in the newsroom and continue to produce their own newscasts, which the new leadership mostly blacks out or replaces with makeshift programmes prepared by a small loyal team.

Hodac has threatened to clear the newsroom by force, but police have rejected the idea of intervening.

Hodac was expected to be released from hospital, where he was taken Thursday after what appeared to be a breakdown from exhaustion.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Czech Republic
Czech Television

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