EU representative urges "clear rules in media financing"

Serbia should introduce clear rules in media financing and guarantee fair competition, says EU's representative in Serbia.

Izvor: Beta

Monday, 01.08.2011.

16:48

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Serbia should introduce clear rules in media financing and guarantee fair competition, says EU's representative in Serbia. Vincent Degert told EurActive and Beta news agency in an interview that sources of money must be transparent and clear, whether it concerns state or municipal levels. EU representative urges "clear rules in media financing" An operator who receives subsidies from the state or municipality cannot compete with those who live from the income made in the market, he was quoted as saying. "The situation in the media is difficult. I always put it in simplified terms - there's 100 TV stations, 200 radio stations, and 500 print media for a population of 7.5 million," said the the head of the EU delegation in Serbia. "That's too much, it's questionable it that's sustainable in the market," concluded Degert. As for the state ownership in media, he said clear rules must be set, since this was about the tax payer's money. "If you wish to have a public broadcaster, they must work along very strictly determined rules, since they live on public money. If they also have commercial activities, they must be conducted within separate transparent bookkeeping systems that need to be established." "Another issue is whether you wish to have local and regional public broadcasters. Then there's the question of minorities and minority languages, the manner in which different national councils can buy time for their programs in the market and present them in minority languages," said he, adding that this "does not mean that each national council must have its own media", but that there must be clear rules in place for renting of the media space for content in minority languages. Degert noted that technological changes were also needed, and mentioned an increasing number of internet media and cable operators, and the digitalization that should be done by April of next year. The EU official stated that a good strategy was needed in order to anticipate the changes and establish rules to help media adjust to the new circumstances. Degert noted that the adoption of the strategy was expected in September. Vincent Degert (Tanjug, file)

EU representative urges "clear rules in media financing"

An operator who receives subsidies from the state or municipality cannot compete with those who live from the income made in the market, he was quoted as saying.

"The situation in the media is difficult. I always put it in simplified terms - there's 100 TV stations, 200 radio stations, and 500 print media for a population of 7.5 million," said the the head of the EU delegation in Serbia.

"That's too much, it's questionable it that's sustainable in the market," concluded Degert.

As for the state ownership in media, he said clear rules must be set, since this was about the tax payer's money.

"If you wish to have a public broadcaster, they must work along very strictly determined rules, since they live on public money. If they also have commercial activities, they must be conducted within separate transparent bookkeeping systems that need to be established."

"Another issue is whether you wish to have local and regional public broadcasters. Then there's the question of minorities and minority languages, the manner in which different national councils can buy time for their programs in the market and present them in minority languages," said he, adding that this "does not mean that each national council must have its own media", but that there must be clear rules in place for renting of the media space for content in minority languages.

Degert noted that technological changes were also needed, and mentioned an increasing number of internet media and cable operators, and the digitalization that should be done by April of next year.

The EU official stated that a good strategy was needed in order to anticipate the changes and establish rules to help media adjust to the new circumstances.

Degert noted that the adoption of the strategy was expected in September.

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