Monday, August 21, 2006

Moldovan Broadcasting Code takes effect

The Broadcasting Code that was adopted by the Moldovan Parliament at the end of the spring session took effect on August 18. The Code stipulates the juridical bases for regulating, conceiving, broadcasting and/or retransmitting the programmes of the broadcasters that are under Moldova’s jurisdiction through radio and television stations.

Under the Code, the Broadcasting Coordinating Council (BCC) will be formed of nine members selected by the parliamentary commission on education, culture and mass media at the proposal of nongovernmental organizations, trade unions and employers. The Parliament is to confirm the candidacies. The national public broadcaster, the company “Teleradio-Moldova”, will be headed by the president of the Company and directors of the national radio station and television station. The Observers Council, composed of nine members elected by the BCC and confirmed by the Parliament, will monitor the activity of the Company.

The notion of local public broadcaster was reintroduced in the new Code on European experts’ recommendations. Therefore, “Teleradio-Moldova” has the right to set up territorial offices. The radio and TV stations operating in Chisinau must accept the variant of becoming territorial offices or they will be privatized.

The Code is one of the documents that Moldova promised the Council of Europe to adopt.

(Source: Moldova Azi/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)