Broadcasting Council recognizes itself too lenient with broadcasters

Broadcasters and experts consider the law has too many restrictions for private broadcasters, while members of the Broadcasting Coordinating Council (BCC) opine the authority has been too indulgent with broadcasters to present. Those opinions were uttered at a seminar titled “The Moldovan Broadcasting Code: the opportunity to adjust to European standards,” held on March 4 and 5 in Chisinau. Eugeniu Rabca, a media expert, has said the Code preponderantly deals with the BCC’s and the public broadcasters’ work, as the private broadcasters seem to be ignored. With slight exceptions, the Broadcasting Code contains but restrictions for the private broadcasters and does not provide for mechanisms or regulations as to stimulate their functioning: a reason why the Code needs to be considerably improved as regards the private TV and radio stations. Either some broadcasters have shown dissatisfaction with the Code’s regulations. Dan Lozovan, the director of “Dixi media” SRL (largely repeating the signal of the Russian CTC – e.r.) has said one ignores the shortage of Moldovan professionals when requiring a certain proportion of own programs in the official language. The manager of the N4 TV station, Alexandru Petcov, has said the broadcasters face excessive red tape when they change the program schedule, no matter how insignificantly. On the other hand, the BCC member Vlad Turcanu has said the regulating authority has been excessively permissive with the broadcasters for one and a half year, closing eyes at more deviations from the law, especially when those were committed by important broadcasters. “There are many broadcasters who have not understood the things have changed, at least legally, and they must act otherwise,” the member said. Turcanu has added that implementing some of the important provisions of the Code meant a failure for the BCC, and for the broadcasting sector in general. The broadcasters do not insure the translation of the movies for children and do not observe the 80% ratio of own programs in the official language etc. The BCC should apply a fair treatment to all the broadcasters, Turcanu said. The seminar was organized by the APEL Electronic Press Association, the Broadcasting Coordinating Council, jointly with the Media Program of the Soros Foundation-Moldova. The seminar is part of the actions undertaken within the Media Program of the Soros Foundation-Moldova with the support of the Swedish Agency for International Development and Cooperation (SIDA), aimed at building the national broadcasting on democratic principles.