For many years now, television presenter Bergant has been able to host commercial and political events through his sole proprietorship, with even regular guests of the TV show he hosts, Odmevi – Echoes (!!!!), taking part in said events. On the other hand, television presenter Rosvita Pesek did not get permission from Polona Fijavž, editor-in-chief of the news programme of the national media outlet, Radio-Television Slovenia (RTVS), to host a panel discussion organised by the Association for the Values of Slovenian Independence (Združenje za vrednote Slovenske osamosvojitve – VSO) on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the founding of the DEMOS party. So, television presenters can be divided into “ours” and “yours.”
TV presenter Igor E. Bergant has been hosting commercial and political events for many years as a sole proprietor, with the participation of both potential and regular guests of the Odmevi television programme on Radio-Television Slovenia (RTVS), journalist Bojan Požar recently pointed out. We have already reported that Bergant is a journalist who is a full-time employee of the national television, and he earns additional money through his status as a sole proprietor.
A clear violation of the Journalistic Code
On top of that, this is in clear violation of the Code of the Slovenian Association of Journalists. It is also a fact that Bergant’s private business has little to do with journalism, and a large part of his additional income is earned at the expense of state institutions or state-owned companies. However, since the show Odmevi also reports on these companies and institutions, this means that there is a direct conflict of interest in his exercise of the journalistic profession.
Marcel Štefančič is also an “amphibian”
We have also previously reported that Bergant, through his status as a sole proprietor, even leads government conferences attended by ministers. However, Bergant’s “amphibian” status (of someone who is working in a public institution, as well as doing private work through his sole proprietorship) does not bother Polona Fijavž, the editor-in-chief of Television Slovenia’s news programme, who recently banned Rosvita Pesek, the other presenter of the show Odmevi, from hosting an event organised by the Association for the Values of Slovenian Independence. Another RTV journalist, Marcel Štefančič, has also hosted public events before, and also with potential future guests of RTV Slovenia.
Domen Mezeg
