The Union of Media Workers of Serbia (SMER) asked the management of Radio Television of Serbia on 24 August to explain to the public the circumstances of hiring Suzana Mančić as the new face and host of the show “Modni salon - karavan”.
SMER says the reaction is not directed against Suzana Mančić personally, but against the practice of hiring outside collaborators when RTS already employs a large number of journalists, presenters and other media professionals.
The union notes that RTS is largely funded by citizens’ money, so every decision on spending public funds must be transparent, economically justified and in the public interest.
SMER asks management why no internal casting or competition was organized for the new format, and why priority was not given to people already employed at the public service. The union also asks that the legal and financial basis of the engagement be published, including the type of contract and the amount of the fee, especially at a time when, it says, RTS is insisting on cost cuts.
SMER argues that a public service has a legal duty to educate and inform, not to reduce its programming to the models of commercial television in a race for ratings.
If the RTS Managing Board and management do not provide answers within seven days and do not open a dialogue with the unions, SMER says it will consult professional associations and take further lawful trade union action.