TV Nova's back in old form

TV Nova's back in old form
The dispute between Senior State Prosecutor Marie Benešová and Justice Minister Pavel Němec is sending three important messages. First, that Benešová is a well-intentioned blabbermouth who doesn't entirely trust the judicial system and believes innuendo is necessary tool for rooting out evil. Second, that Němec feels the noose tightening around his neck with regard to some of the cases Benešová has hinted that he has a personal interest in. And third, that TV Nova is now more comfortable about its position and is returning to the Železný era of political manipulation. Its broadcast of what Benešová assumed was an off-the-record conversation was reminiscent of the tactics it used to damage then-Foreign Ministry Spokesman Aleš Pospíšil in Sept. 1999. Back then Nova was trying to damage Ronald Lauder's business interests;now it's using similar tactics to defend them.