The national media outlet Radio-Television Slovenia (RTVS) recently announced that it had “refreshed” the show Arena by removing presenters Igor Pirkovič and Vida Petrovčič and replacing them with new presenters. Valentina Plaskan was also left without her show – Dnevnik. The new term for depoliticisation and the reckoning with recalcitrant presenters is, therefore, “refreshment”. In the near future, the show Pričevalci (Witnesses) and its presenter Jože Možina are also to be dealt with.
“On this Monday’s episode of the show Arena, the presenter will be Vida Petrovčič. And next Monday, we have commentary of the week, unfortunate PR spins (Ciao, Ana …) and bitter stories about stolen newborns from the eighties under the Yugoslavian regime. And more …,” the host of the show, Igor Pirkovič, announced via the X social network about the fate of the show Arena. As we have learned, the show will not be broadcast next week, although it has already been filmed. However, RTV has announced that from now on, the show will be hosted by new presenters. And instead of socio-political topics, they will focus on the consequences of the floods – so that the government and the ruling elite will not be talked about.
Every Monday, the show Arena was a space for confrontation of opinions and views on the current political and social situation. A wide range of guests took part in the debates, offering their thoughts and views on politics and topics of interest. As the topics discussed were ones that the mainstream media tend to gloss over, the ruling class, including NGOs, made no secret of their dissatisfaction with the show. After the personnel changes at the national media outlet, implemented by the ruling party, the removal of the show from the programme seems to be the next step towards a “depoliticised” RTVS, or rather a step towards one-party rule.
Pirkovič on screen for the last time on Monday?!
“Dear viewers, sometimes the Arena show also broadcasts certain things that are slightly embarrassing for the current authorities and left-wing activists. We invited everyone we talked about to the show, helped people in need and opened up the media space. With facts and footage. However, I hear that Monday was the last time I was on screen. Take care, and thank you,” said Pirkovič, a journalist at the national media outlet RTVS. “The executions are being carried out by Polona Fijavž, acting editor-in-chief of the Television Slovenia news programme, under the pretext that the floods are underreported. Because from now until the New Year, we need to mainly report on the floods.”
Staff changes are continuing
According to investigative journalist Bojan Požar, the “morning of the long knives” took place at the top of the TV Slovenia news programme recently. Fijavž, who became acting editor-in-chief of the news programme after the resignation of Jadranka Rebernik, decided to replace and let go everyone she could. Dejan Ladika became the editor of the daily news shows, Nataša Rijavec Bartha is now in charge of internal politics, and Marta Razboršek is the new editor responsible for foreign policy. “Polona Fijavž was apparently brought from Germany for this reason, and now everything will allegedly happen at the speed of light,” Požar announced, adding that after Arena, the show “Witnesses” with presenter Jože Možina would also be dropped.
We have addressed a press question to the public broadcaster RTVS regarding the cancellation of the show Arena, asking what the reasons for its cancellation are and who made the decision. When we receive a reply, we will publish it. The President of the left-wing NGO the 8th of March Institute (Inštitut 8. marec), Nika Kovač, will probably be delighted to hear that the programme has been cancelled, as her Institute was also very pleased with the departure of the former Acting Director of TV Slovenia, Uroš Urbanija.
RTV Slovenia has informed us that the show Arena, Looking Ahead, is coming on the 25th of September. “The renewed programme will be a continuation of the existing Arena programme, with a clear content focus – until the end of the year, the show will be focusing on dealing with the consequences of the recent weather disasters.”
“Every Monday, the show Arena, Looking Ahead, will highlight one of the problem areas of the post-flood recovery. The presenters of the show will make sure that every question gets an answer. The journalists of TV Slovenia’s news programme will examine how the flood reconstruction is progressing, where there have been setbacks and why, and what else needs to be done to ensure that we as a society are solidarity-oriented, efficient and future-oriented,” they wrote, adding that the first episode of the show will be hosted by Elen Batista Štader and Jan Novak and edited by Vesna Pfeiffer.
“Arena, Looking Ahead, will fill the information gap left by the disastrous floods, thus meeting the public’s expectations and fulfilling the mission of the public service media. Viewers rightly expect service information from Television Slovenia, too, as well as the possibility to co-create content and to verify the implementation of the government’s promises to help those affected by the floods, transparency in decision-making and the use of public money.”
Sara Kovač
