Another Scandal For Nova TV

Unsettled ownership issues, news programme fiasco and rumours about national frequency being taken away – the last year was very bad for Nova TV. However, at least one thing Nova TV did right – the launch of Story Supernova, glitzy and glamorous "reality show" in which few young good-looking contestants – some of them aspiring pop singers and models – competed for the job of host of Red Carpet, Nova TV's talent show. Story Supernova turned into unprecedented media event with thousands of spectators, mostly screaming teenagers, watching the contestants on their way to hotels and studios.

The winner, Marin Tironi from Rijeka, was supposed to host the first instalment of Red Carpet. But instead of him, the show was hosted by Monika Kravić (Monika Kravic) and Dorijan Elezović (Dorijan Elezovic), two of his former Story Supernova competitors who had been voted out from the show in its early stages.

Croatian public soon learned the reason for this Nova TV move. Tironi apparently refused to sign contract and two contradicting explanation appeared in Croatian media. According to Slobodna Dalmacija, the contract offered to Tironi was utterly unacceptable, "bordering on slavery" – in exchange for brand new car , laptop computer and 7,000 HRK (cca. 950 €) of monthly salary, Tironi had to host the show indefinitely, regardless of being formally sacked by Nova TV management. Novi list, on the other hand, claims that the monthly salary was twice larger – 14,000 HRK (1900 €) and reports nothing of the "slavery" clauses in the contract; Tironi apparently didn't like the obligation to show up in studio at 17:00, claiming that "he couldn't wake up early in the morning" and that "working eight hours per day for this sum" was unacceptable. Unconfirmed reports also claim that Tironi already found the new way to exploit his fame – in acting, for which he would be trained by Krešimir Dolenčić (Kresimir Dolencic), fame stage director.

If Novi list version of the events is true, that means that waking up before noon and working eight hours a day for 1900 € a month represents too much of a sacrifice for average Croatian youth.