Kada cenzura može biti opravdana?
When Can Censorship Be Justified?

Summary/Abstract: News control can be classified into internal and external control, or internal and external censorship. The position we shall defend in this paper is that internal censorship (conducted by media officials – journalists, editors-censors, the media or- ganization itself) may be justified if it is partial and conducted in certain specific con- ditions. Every journalist has moral and legal commitments, according to which he or she should carry out his or her professional duty – truthful reporting. However, a journalist may face a dilemma if there is a simultaneous work of a number of moral commitments. The journalist will decide among the numerous moral commitments on priority basis. The issue in question here is partial censorship. Arguments against the moral justification of censorship have to do with the in- fluence of the state on the information process. Interference of any other external au- thority (once the church and today the state) means that free journalism is hampered. The problem lies in the fact that local authorities have worked for their personal bene- fit, and not for the benefit of the public that journalism should serve. Our opinion is that there is always the danger of state control, indirectly, through advertising in films, broadcasts…. And directly, through commercials, advertisements… The good side of state participation in the media is the state’s financial assistance. However, this is not harmless, either, especially if the state interferes with the substance of news.

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