How To Recognise Croatian Chauvinists

The only serious rival to HRTL in its bid for former HRT3 frequency was TV Moslavina, local station that had earned a lot of sympathies with its quality programmes – comedy shows, documentaries etc. (later distributed across Croatia through local televisions' network). However, they would have less sympathy from me after I heard about their proposals for new national programme (submitted to Telecommunications Commission as part of their bid). According to proposal, TV Moslavina was about to start dubbing foreign films and TV shows.

Dubbing of movies in Croatia is bad idea. People are still accustomed of listening Arnold Schwarzenegger speaking with his own voice, and for many young people subtitled foreign films are excellent aid in learning foreign languages. Dubbing would only make distribution of foreign films more expensive and complicated, since subtitles require a single translator while dubbing of an average movie would require at least 4-5 actors plus recording studio.

Of course, all those arguments didn't prevent some Croatian chauvinists from demanding that foreign films be dubbed. Their only argument was that all great nations of Europe (Germany, Italy, France, Spain) dub foreign films, so Croatia, being a great nation of Europe, should dub foreign films too. Thankfully, even in Tudjman's times those voices were quickly silenced with financial considerations, but proponents of dubbing are still here and some are holding high positions within Croatian political and cultural establishment. I guess that dubbing plans were included in the TV Moslavina bid with the specific purpose of winning the favour of Croatian chauvinists within Telecommunications Commission.

Thankfully, reason, albeit supported by some very special financial and political interests, has prevailed.