Independents protest state news agency status

Beta and FoNet news agencies are lodging a complaint with the government over Tanjug.

Izvor: Beta

Tuesday, 08.01.2008.

09:14

Default images

Beta and FoNet news agencies are lodging a complaint with the government over Tanjug. Tanjug, which is the state news agency, will be financed from the budget, the two independent news organizations say. Independents protest state news agency status "State financing of the media represents a violation of key democratic principles, such as the abolishing of political and financial influence on the free flow of information, open competition and the absence of a monopoly," Beta and FoNet said. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, in Resolution 1397 (Article 20), explicitly states that the government should not use the state budget to maintain political influence on the rest of the state media, at the expense of the independent media, they reminded. "The Serbian government is violating the principle of equality in the media by financing Tanjug from the state budget, and in addition, the services which the money is to be used for are not defined, nor are such services being publicly advertised, in which case other media would be able to compete to provide these services," a statement carried by Beta added. "When the totalitarian regime fell, an independent media already existed in Serbia, such as the private news agencies BETA and FoNet, who, with the quality of their service, fulfilled the demands of the market for independent and trustworthy information. Since the fall of the regime, instead of reexamining the state financing of Tanjug and its status, resources from the state budget earmarked for that agency's functioning has consistently increased" the statement warns. The two news agencies believe that "there can be no equality in the media market while taxpayers are forced to foot the bill for the expenses of state ownership of the media," and add "there is no political or economic justification for the state to continue to finance Tanjug."

Independents protest state news agency status

"State financing of the media represents a violation of key democratic principles, such as the abolishing of political and financial influence on the free flow of information, open competition and the absence of a monopoly," Beta and FoNet said.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, in Resolution 1397 (Article 20), explicitly states that the government should not use the state budget to maintain political influence on the rest of the state media, at the expense of the independent media, they reminded.

"The Serbian government is violating the principle of equality in the media by financing Tanjug from the state budget, and in addition, the services which the money is to be used for are not defined, nor are such services being publicly advertised, in which case other media would be able to compete to provide these services," a statement carried by Beta added.

"When the totalitarian regime fell, an independent media already existed in Serbia, such as the private news agencies BETA and FoNet, who, with the quality of their service, fulfilled the demands of the market for independent and trustworthy information. Since the fall of the regime, instead of reexamining the state financing of Tanjug and its status, resources from the state budget earmarked for that agency's functioning has consistently increased" the statement warns.

The two news agencies believe that "there can be no equality in the media market while taxpayers are forced to foot the bill for the expenses of state ownership of the media," and add "there is no political or economic justification for the state to continue to finance Tanjug."

Komentari 2

Pogledaj komentare

2 Komentari

Možda vas zanima

Podeli: