Compulsory share of official language in radio broadcast content has been raised to 75%

This year the share of radio programmes in the official language will represent at least 75% of the total volume. Such a stipulation is included in the Strategy for Covering the National Territory with Audiovisual Programmes for 2007-2010, published in the latest issue of the Official Gazette. According to the Strategy, the “Teleradio-Moldova” Company will launch in 2008 the second TV and radio channel and start purchasing and broadcasting the programmes produced by independent studios in the country. The number of channels on which programmes in the official language will be broadcast shall constitute 65% and have a corresponding territorial coverage, where at least 65% of the population lives, the strategy reads. The aim of the strategy is to support the democratic process in the country by contributing in enforcing the universal right of every citizen to receive and disseminate information, including by means of audiovisual programmes. The objectives of the document include the identification of possibilities to create 6 national radio frequency networks and 5 national TV frequency networks; to safeguard the linguistic and cultural-national patrimony; to ensure the access to a minimum information standard by means of programmes offered by radio broadcasters; to evaluate periodically the publicity market of the country with the aim of establishing fair rules for the activity and fair competition for all radio broadcasters; to implement the creation of the digital radio and TV, and others. As of January 1, 2007, Moldova had 245 broadcast licence holders, of which 44 were terrestrial radio broadcasters, 38 terrestrial TV broadcasters, 152 cable television operators, 10 MMDS system operators, and 1 cable radio broadcaster.