Long-time journalism lecturer at the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication at Sofia University Assoc. Prof. Svetlana Bozhilova was a special guest on “Darik's Week“ to comment on the news that the host of the morning block on bTV, Maria Tsantsarova, has probably been removed from the air, as well as the relations between politics and the media environment in Bulgaria.
“This will not stop until a clear legislative mechanism is activated in our country to guarantee the freedom of journalism. As for the situation with Maria, I was at the protest last night. Maria is just an excuse. There were colleagues there who lost their jobs in one way or another, there were people who had their own motives for being there. For the first time, there is talk of professional consolidation of values and standards in the profession on a pan-European and global scale. Maria Tsantsarova was my graduate student. I am ready to enter into a debate with colleagues who claim this. I should not qualify who stands where in the political spectrum, but to lead a professional debate“, said Svetlana Bozhilova.
“I am not afraid to defend positions, I want a reasoned debate. There is accumulated anger that explodes. We need to enter into a clear debate about the mission of journalism“, she also said.
“Journalists should presumably be a corrective to those in power. The definition that the presenters have a hidden political cause should not be sewn on. Journalists should always be opponents of their interlocutors“, said Bozhilova.
“Kanna Racheva deserves credit for coming to the protest. Citizens cannot judge and analyze the processes. I remembered the beginning of bTV. I was a reporter in the first competition. I don't remember how many competitions there have been in major television stations for key positions since then. The last competitions were for high positions in MTG. I felt sad because for the entire team led by Lyuba Rizova – where are they now? They are not pensioners. Why did the media outlet, which had the highest ratings in the first 7-8 years, part with its best journalists. There is no competitive, transparent market in Europe or globally in which the media would be deprived of its best presenters“, commented the journalism teacher.
“Very recently, the leader of MECH Radostin Vassilev stated that bTV should have a special manager when MECH is in charge. Slavi Trifonov's statement is inexplicable to me. He states that in a private media, the managers can do whatever they want. But excuse me, Toshko Yordanov was the chairman of the Commission on Media and Culture. The media cannot be considered a private company. He does not know the basic postulates of media legislation. Let me tell Slavi Trifonov - one must measure one's words and be competent when speaking in such a sphere. Media companies are not classic commercial enterprises“, commented Bozhilova.
“The law cannot state that media companies are for-profit companies. This is a complex matter, but the problems of media regulation in Bulgaria are related to the fact that media regulation is not applied and is discredited at all“, she also stated.
“More and more journalists are not microphone holders and do not ask pre-prepared questions. Tsantsarova is one of the few journalists who has a rarely quick professional reflex. Against this background, Zlatimir, who is balanced, is the logistical support. I sincerely believe that Zlatimir will not go the way of Ani Tsolova's co-host at NOVA and will defend with other colleagues at bTV the right of Maria Tsantsarova to be who she is. I do not share the moral behavior of Viktor Nikolaev“, commented Svetlana Bozhilova.
“The problem with Maria Tsantsarova should not be politicized and scandalized, because it is a problem of the college. While the rotations of people in key positions in terms of management and governance are taking place, I want to say that this is a problem of the professional guild at bTV. Colleagues have the right to seek support from the CEM and to seek their rights from the future media regulator and the court in Luxembourg. Let's say - is there investigative journalism? Why isn't there? Why have they been asking the question over the years where investigative journalism is in the public media, why are websites doing it, and is it not in the field of view of the big media? Things in the media environment are not good. Delyan Peevski himself was Boyko Borisov's biggest critic years ago, and when he came to power in one day, his media changed their attitude towards GERB,“ said Svetlana Bozhilova to Bozhidar Rusev.