THE BBC's YUGOSLAV SERVICE
ABROADCASTING service for Yugoslavia from 'this country could fulfil any of three very different functions. It could be avowedly anti- Communist and propagandist, taking the line that the democratic elements in Yugoslavia need to be sustained and encouraged, and the authoritarians converted. Or, it could be avowedly pro-Tito, on the assuinption that his regime, whatever its fail- ings, must be supported because, if it falls, Yugo- slaVia might go over to the Russian camp. Or, it could decline to take sides and merely concentrate on keeping the Yugoslays informed of all signifi- cant trends of opinion in this country—whether or hot they happen to be favourable to Tito.
The BBC foreign services are designed. in theory. to fulfil the third of these aims. The test of the success of the broadcasts to Yugoslavia ought not to be whether enough propagandist material for the West is put over, or whether they keep Tito and his supporters happy; but whether they present a "balanced picture of life in this country, including—this is vital—the state of in- formed opinion about Yugoslavia in this country. lf, say, Tito says or does something which gives ollenee here, that should be made clear; just as il should be made clear if he says or does some- thing which gives pleasure.
"How far does the BBC's Yugoslav service per- l'Orni this service? A series of letters in the Spectator four months ago suggested that it has failed in its duty. Some of the allegations Made were extremely disturbing : but the BBC deelined to reply to them, and a question since asked in Parliament elicited no more than the usual minis- terial 'whitewashing. We would have preferred an independent investigation into the allegatiOns because, as neither the BBC nor the Government were disposed to co-operate in our own inquiry, it has' not been possible to sift all the evidence that has been brought to our attention. We have, how- ever, checked the instances given whenever it has been possible to do so.
These are the chief criticisms of the BBC's Yugoslav service.
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