How is it possible to stay quiet and not to react when someone is "citing" the words you've never verbalized to anyone? The natural answer would be immediately expressed ("no, I have never said something like that!"), except in case that the "defamed" person had some other (prearranged) "idea" on his mind. The "other idea" may only be referring to the future lawsuit, which has been planned in advance by the "damaged" side. Personally, knowing the greedy personality of Srđa Trifković, I wouldn't be surprised if he really had been using the incriminated syntagm ("a neurotic cockroach") in an unofficial conversation with the presenter, shortly before the live broadcast itself.
On the other hand, it is hard to believe that anyone (whose natural language is Serbian), who intended to defame another person, would be using similar string of words, because "neurotična bubašvaba" (neurotic cockroach) has no meaning whatsoever in Serbian and makes no sense at all. In English, it seems that the syntagm "nervous as a cockroach" is possible and it can be used in description of a state of unquietness. Nevertheless, I suppose that the mentioned TV show was brodcast in Serbian language, and not in English.
Of course, I do not want to be apologetic towards the anti-Serbian B92 TV station, because that people deserve nothing but the deepest contempt of the Serbian nation, but, I would add that a "lucrative" (surreptitious) behaviour of Srđa Trifković, should also be condemned.
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-
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 audience through 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 my professional and personal reputation and standing. 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.
1 comment:
Зашто не:)
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