Media service providers will be obliged to transmit local audiovisual programs in Romanian in a proportion of at least 80% of all the produced programs, except for the providers whose audiovisual media services are intended for ethnic minorities from territorial-administrative units in which an ethnic minority represents a majority. These will have the obligation to transmit local audiovisual programs in Romanian in a proportion of at least 25% and also own audiovisual programs in the language of the given minorities. This is provided in a bill to amend the Code of Audiovisual Media Services that was given a final reading, IPN reports.

Under the bill, the films will be dubbed or subtitled in Romanian keeping the original speech or the licensed linguistic version. Children’s films will be dubbed or subtitled in Romanian, except for the providers whose audiovisual media services are intended for ethnic minorities from territorial-administrative units in which an ethnic minority represents a majority.

Prime time for TV will be extended by an hour in the morning and in the evening – between 6am and 10am and between 5pm and midnight.

The new provisions treat self-promo messages or videos as local programs given that these are made using editorial resources.