High Representative Carlos Westendorp has appointed the Head of the Media and Public Affairs Department, Simon Haselock, his Deputy for Media Issues.
In the nomination letter, Westendorp stressed Haselock’s “achievements and sound judgement, particularly in the area of media restructuring for Bosnia and Herzegovina, (which) have greatly contributed to the cause of peace and democracy for this country.”
Haselock joined the OHR in February 1997 and became Head of the Media and Public Affairs Department in June 1997. Under his leadership, the Department started the process of opening up Bosnia and Herzegovina’s media. The most important ones, television networks, were in the firm grip of government and political parties, which was holding back the peace process.
Now two international advisers are assisting the reform of Serb Radio Television (SRT) in Banja Luka and Radio Television Bosnia and Herzegovina (RTV BiH) in Sarajevo, respectively. Haselock also initiated the formation of an Independent Media Commission (IMC), which will allocate frequencies to all broadcasters in the country and make sure journalistic standards are respected.
In addition, the Media and Public Affairs Department is currently conducting a Public Service Information Campaign, producing 10-minute TV programs that provide information on a variety of public issues, as well as short programs which promote reconciliation.
Haselock is a 43-year old British national, married with two children. He attended the Royal Naval College in Greenwich, UK, after joining the Royal Marines in 1973. During his military career, the Major served in Northern Ireland, the Gulf and the Far East. His PR experience began in 1992 when he started working for the Directorate of Naval PR in the British Ministry of Defence in London.
After the Dayton Peace Accords were signed In November 1995, Haselock became the principal spokesman for the NATO troops that deployed in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He held this post until he joined the OHR in 1997. In addition to his activities in the field of media development, Haselock has succeeded in making OHR policies transparent to the public.