Uninteresting Coincidences

This evening Croatian public had the opportunity to see the very first news show by Nova TV, the most popular of all Croatian private television stations (and the only one with the national coverage). The station was rumoured to be heavily influenced by HDZ and to serve as a counter-weight to government-controlled state television.

But I don't believe that Nova TV could really work as crude propaganda tool. It is true that the most of reporters and anchorpeople began as Tudjmanist cadre on state television. But in their first show they failed to score major propaganda point against current government. The largest part was dedicated to the another series of negotiations between ex-Communist SDP and conservative (peasant) party HSS – two biggest partners in governing coalition.

Yet, for all their perceived anti-government slant, Nova TV failed to inform Croatian public about similar negotiations going on and failing in Poland. Two parties of soon-to-be-former Polish government coalition – Left Alliance and Peasant Party – have incredible resemblance to two major parties of Croatian governing coalition.