Na objavu agencije AP koja u naslovu Olivera naziva ex-jugoslavenskim, a ne hrvatskim pjevačem, odmah je stiglo reagiranje u kojem se takav naslov smatra tendencioznim. Naime, iako je dobar dio svoje karijere Oliver i ostvario unutar ex-Jugoslavije, sve do osamostaljenja Republike Hrvatske i doista je bio omiljen i diljem bivše države, slažemo se da je u naslovu moglo pisati hrvatski i ex-jugoslavenski pjevač. Za njim,sigurni smo, danas žali i veliki dio obožavatelja iz bivše države.
Dopisnik AP-a očito nije svjestan koliko je za Hrvatsku i samo spominjanje ex-Jugoslavije bolno, imajući u vidu domovinski rat u kojemu je Srbija bila agresor, a čitava Hrvatska podnijela ogromne žrtve. A Oliver je više no itko znao cijeniti tu žrtvu za samostalnu i slobodnu Hrvatsku, svoju jedinu domovinu. Zato zaslužuje da ga se spominje kao hrvatskog, a ne kao ex-jugoslavenskog pjevača. Zapravo, trebalo je pisati: Otišao je veliki hrvatski pjevač kojega je voljela cijela ex-Jugoslavija. Pokoj mu duši.
Prenosimo original objave i reagiranja.
POPULAR EX JUGOSLAVIJA SINGER OLIVER DRAGOJEVIĆ DIES AT 70
ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Oliver Dragojevic, one of the most popular pop singers in the former Yugoslavia, has died at 70.
Croatian media say Dragojevic died early Sunday in a hospital in his hometown of Split, a city on Croatia's Adriatic coast. He was diagnosed with lung cancer a year ago.
Dragojevic gained huge following in the former Yugoslavia with his romantic hits sung in a specific Dalmatian dialect of Croatia.
Dragojevic remained popular among former Yugoslavs even after the country broke up in a war in the 1990s. Media throughout the region have reported his death, describing Dragojevic as a "legendary singer."
Although highly popular in Serbia, he refused to stage concerts there after the bloodshed of the 1991-95 Croatian war for independence against the Serb-led Yugoslav army.
REAGIRANJE
CALL TO ACTION:
If you have issues with the “popular ex-Yugoslavia singer” AP News story, please let your opinion be known to AP News NY (via e-mail) and include the original link to the article (
https://apnews.com/7f42a8671dc74b34bf36c96b08f054c0/Popular-ex-Yugoslavia-singer-Oliver-Dragojevic-dies-at-70).
Set out below is a form of letter:
AP News
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E:
Ova e-mail adresa je zaštićena od spambota. Potrebno je omogućiti JavaScript da je vidite.Dear Sir / Madam,
RE: “Popular ex-Yugoslavia singer Oliver Dragojevic dies at 70” (Sunday, July 29, 2018)
It is our understanding that AP News prides itself on breaking news and covering the world’s biggest stories for 170 years, always committed to the highest standards of objective, accurate journalism. With more than half the world’s population reading your stories on a daily basis, the world has come to expect the standards and practices set by AP News and imposed on its reporters to safeguard AP stories from bias and inaccuracies.
It is particularly insulting and irresponsible when reporters choose to present a personal bias and/or to use labels to skew reality and/or public perception, which appear to be recurring themes in reports emerging from your Balkan coverage relating to Croatia over the past few months, in particular.
The latest such instance is your news agencies’ report that ties the late popular Croatian singer, Oliver Dragojevic, to a defunct country - the former Yugoslavia – notwithstanding that Croatia has been internationally recognized as an independent state, and not part of Yugoslavia, for over 25 years. Shortly after Croatia declared independence in 1991, the Yugoslav National Army attacked the cities, towns and citizens of Croatia, which was the start of one of the bloodiest wars seen in modern day Europe since WWII. With Croatia being a member of the United Nations, NATO, and the EU, among others, and considering Croatia’s name recognition following its appearance as a finalist at FIFA World Cup 2018, what is the premise for making reference to ex-Yugoslavia in the headline of the report, which was irrelevant to the story? While Croatia is mourning the loss of one of its greatest artists, its citizens are deeply insulted that a reputable news agency such as your own would title this article as such. Is Croatia the special exception or does AP News refer to citizens of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Ukraine, among others, as former Soviets or divide German citizens into those from East Germany and West Germany?
The bias of AP News in this case is specific, intentional and inherently political as well as inflammatory and provocative and we demand an immediate correction, a written apology, and an internal investigation into this and other similar instances emerging from your Balkan correspondent.
