“How is a negative report on Slovenia made? Have you already noticed that Slovenia is critically reported in this or that foreign media? If you did not, then you do not read the Slovenian media and do not watch/listen to daily news programmes. Because our media just compete in reporting on every foreign article with a negative connotation about the current Slovenian government. As if this would suit them…” Foreign Minister Logar wrote in the introduction about his own experience of “fabricating” false news about Slovenia, exporting it abroad and back again, for domestic internal-political needs.
“For a start: when our media pompously and at length explain to you how they write critically about Slovenia abroad with bold headlines, be sure that they are yacking.” Namely, they report on an article that the average foreign reader/viewer neither notices nor is interested in, so they do not pay attention to it at all. The only ones who notice it are the Slovenian media. In fact, the word “notice” is out of place because Slovenian journalists already know about it. For the most part, they also participate in its creation.
“Well, anyway. I already have some experience with this kind of media spin, so let me tell you how it goes on a concrete example.” Take the example of an article on media freedom in Slovenia, published by Swedish TV4. HERE you will find this “impartial” article based on the words of well-known Slovenian “fighters for media freedom”. “In this video post, I also perform alone in 2:20 minutes. To balance, the “dissenting opinion” of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia.”
“You are probably wondering – why does the Foreign Minister agree to talk about media freedom? Especially because that is really not his field?” In practice, this is how it works: it was a request from Swedish television to talk to the Foreign Ministry about the priorities of the presidency and the plans we have for the presidency. PR checks the details, the Swedes say they prepare a discussion and contribution with each presiding country before the presidency about the presidency’s plans. They checked and it was true. They said they would also talk to some foreign policy experts and ministers.
The “independent” journalist was not at all interested in the EU presidency, but exclusively in the STA
And they really came. Not with their team, but with the team or cameraman – POP TV. “Well, that was a bit weird. Big TV networks usually come with their own equipment…” Given this fact, Logar knew immediately that the real purpose of the interview was not a conversation about the presidency, but a ‘domestic political’ agenda. “That is why I hinted to PR that we should record this interview as well.” And the journalist started. She started about the presidency, but it immediately became clear that she was not interested in anything, but that she wanted to jump to the questions about the STA that she had written on a paper as soon as possible. And when they were done, they put the equipment away. With visible zeal.
At that time, Logar also spoke a few words about the “mission” that the Swedish journalist was obviously carrying out (voluntarily or unknowingly) for Slovenian “subscribers” (read: creating a false image of pressure on the media). And speak of the devil, it is clear from the published article (the staff talking to her while standing) that this part, although with an (officially) already turned off camera, was also secretly filmed by a hired POP TV cameraman. “If I did not know these tricks, probably in the off, I would not have chosen the words so carefully and very likely the post would have started with some of my more rude statement of this “informal” work…”
Of the 27 minutes of conversation, POP TV employees aired just 19 seconds
Well, below is the full interview. 27 minutes of conversation for using 19 seconds of the Foreign Minister’s statement on left wing media in Slovenia. Not to watch. Mainly so that you will understand how such articles are created in foreign media and why it makes no sense to participate in them. Unless it is live.
Domen Mezeg
