15. 07. 2011

ANEM OPPOSES REMOVAL OF PROGRAMS OF LOCAL TV STATIONS WITH VALID LICENSES FROM CABLE NETWORKS

Belgrade, July 15, 2011 - The Association of Independent Electronic Media condemns the unacceptable practice of removal of programs of local TV stations with valid broadcasting licenses from local packages of cable operators, as is the case with VK TV in Kikinda and TV K9 in Novi Sad.

ANEM considers that it is unacceptable that cable operators, justifying their behavior by economic or technical reasons, become the "bottleneck" and a limiting factor with regard to citizens' right to enjoy a wide range of media content, especially when it comes to their right to be informed about regional and local issues via local media.

ANEM reminds that the Draft Media Strategy, put to public debate by the Ministry of Culture, Media and Information Society, includes the commitment of the Republic of Serbia to oblige dominant operators to transmit certain content precisely with the aim to guarantee the citizens' right to be informed about issues of regional and local importance.

ANEM calls on the Serbian Government to immediately adopt the Media Strategy and to modify the legal framework that would prevent the transformation of the cable distribution system into a new bottleneck and a limiting factor in the exercise of the right to freedom of information. ANEM also urges regulatory bodies for broadcasting and electronic communications to consider the possibility of introducing certain conditions for issuance of cable licenses and distribution of media content in a way that would entail obligatory quotas for distribution of regional and local programs, especially those with valid licenses for terrestrial broadcasting.

ANEM considers unacceptable the practice of cable operators to apply unequal business conditions to same services with regard to various market participants, giving preference only to certain TV channels. As a rule, this practice almost always works against local TV channels with valid licenses for terrestrial broadcasting.

Sasa Mirkovic, ANEM President