BCC members 'indulgent' with NIT before New Year

The television channel NIT received a new warning from the Broadcasting Coordination Council (BCC) for broadcasting hidden publicity and not respecting the principle of pluralism of opinion, Info-Prim Neo reports. Though a number of violations were identified while monitoring the programs broadcast by NIT, the Council at its Wednesday's meeting decided not to impose a severe punishment before the New Year. In November, the television channel was fined 5,400 lei. According to the BCC member Marian Pocaznoi, the legislation says that if the broadcaster continues to commit irregularities after a fine is imposed, it must be punished by banning the broadcasting of advertisements and even by withdrawing the broadcast license. This time, the channel received a warning accompanied by a recombination and a request. The Council recommends strictly observing the Broadcasting Code's stipulations concerning the methods of placing adverts and the pluralism of option and asks the channel to present a report on how the stipulations are implemented. The representative of NIT said the violations identified by the BCC were committed during author programs and this spares the TV channel from responsibility, especially because they decided to stop broadcasting such programs. For his part, the author of a program said he did not speak about political parties, but particular persons, “who contributed to the development or fall of this country” and that nobody can tell him how he should create and express his opinion. The BCC member Corneliu Mihalache said the pluralism of opinion cannot be observed when somebody expresses one's own convictions, as in the case of author programs. According to him, the TV channel does not commit more irregularities than other channels, but is yet permanently monitored and punished. Another member of the Council, Carmelia Albu, replied that they monitored several television channels, but identified irregularities only at NIT. The BCC president Gheorghe Gorincioi said they should give time to NIT to draw conclusions and realize that the Council is preoccupied with certain aspects. His proposal was supported by five members of the seven attending.