The contract for broadcasting rights for 2012-16 that will involve the ice hockey world championships, signed by the former head of Slovak Television (STV), Štefan Nižňanský, is on a par with a contract signed by the preceding STV director, Richard Rybníček, for 2007-11, Nižňanský told the TASR newswire on Wednesday, January 5. He spoke following the reporting of information that he had signed the contract on his last day in his post (December 31) and that the contract is somewhat unusual.
"Negotiations on contract terms and conditions were ongoing for a longer period of time and I signed the contract before the last day of the year," said Nižňanský, dismissing notions that he ought to have signed the contract in question directly with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) rather than with a mediator (a company called Pragosport).
"The contract is in line with standards... I didn't infringe any laws or powers pertinent to the general director. Those who say the opposite don't know what they're talking about. It's been more than ten years since the rights were sold directly by the IIHF. In addition, Pragosport isn't a mediator here, but the owner of the broadcasting rights," he said.
Nižňanský lost his post following the merger of the two Slovak public-service broadcasters, STV and Slovak Radio (SRo), into the newly-formed Radio and Television Slovakia (RTVS) as of January 1. The radio broadcaster's general manager became RTVS interim head, with her mandate due to expire after parliament votes in a permanent director.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
