Beckovic: Taking 'Utisak' off air is political decision

BELGRADE - Olja Beckovic, the author of the flagship political discussion show "Utisak Nedelje" (Impression of the Week) that ran on the privately-owned TV channel B92 with national coverage, has described the management's decision to take the show off air as political.

Beckovic underscored that it is not true that the broadcasting of the show she has authored since the 1990s has been postponed, but that it has been banned, and that it is not true that she refused a transfer to the cable channel B92 Info for a higher salary, but rather she "refused the blackmail".

Beckovic told Radio-Television of Vojvodina on Monday that she just insisted on the adherence to the contract that reads that "Utisak Nedelje" should be aired on TV B92 until March.

"I have no information as to what would happen with 'Utisak'… I should have started working on August 31, but they postponed that until September 21," she said, adding that the TV B92 management then said that the political discussion show will not run unless she agrees to the broadcasting on the Info channel.

The reasoning they offered for the decision was that her show is the most watched and highly respected, and that is an ideal reason for it to start being aired on the Info channel, she said.

"I requested that the contract be respected and that I continue working here until March, and then I could go to the Info channel," Beckovic emphasized.

She noted that this is one of the rare shows on TV B92 that is profitable, stressing that she was offered a salary rise of 30 percent if she goes to the Info channel.

Whose cost-effective business move is that? To pay me more so as to make me less visible?, Beckovic posed a question.

On Sunday...