Preacher Ron

It's clear after viewing TV Nova's "Na vlastní oči" last night that the final attack on Stanislav Gross has begun. Gross was accused on the show of taking bribes not only for Unipetrol, but also for ČEZ. No real surprises there, actually. More interesting is how willingly Nova went along with Jiří Paroubek's little charade of hidden cameras, wiretaps and controlled leaks. In its own way, TV Nova's assistance in dethroning Gross as ČSSD chair is as dangerous as the bribes Gross allegedly took. Ronald Lauder of CME told the Financial Times on July 19 that all his TV stations talk about democracy, give a positive view of America, and appeal to the new capitalist-oriented generation in Eastern Europe. Joining forces with one politician to destroy another is something we expect from the Russian media, but a proselytizing American-owned TV station should aspire to higher standards.