31. 05. 2005

REGULATION OF MEDIA CHAOS

BELGRADE, May 31, 2005 – The Broadcast Agency has announced regulation of the chaotic media sphere in Serbia. The Council noted that the first competition for frequency allocation could begin during the summer. The Council is preparing a strategy for national frequency, and the number of national, regional and local frequencies will be known after the creation of the plan for frequency allocation. Chairman of the Council Nenad Cekic said that RTS would have two, and commercial televisions four or five national frequencies: “The tenders would be very transparent and open. The procedure is basically envisaged by the Act and there is no need for auction. There would be enough space in the broadcast air. Who will win and who won’t, and at whose expense, has absolutely nothing to do with reality. We won’t seek technical excuse to politically eliminate someone. As I said, there would be enough room for everyone.” Television stations competing in the frequency allocation process would have to meet certain program criteria, beside technical prerequisites. The Council has asked assistance of certain journalists’ associations in fulfilling these criteria: “The criteria define a minimum of program standards, not the maximum. They certainly must not limit the freedom of expression. We must not be censors or in any way to ideologically influence the whole thing”, said Cekic. The Council warned that the frequency fee would not be insignificant, adding that the annual fee for national radio frequency in Hungary is six million euros.