Moldovan holders of more than two broadcasting licences obliged to give up them, preserving two ones at the most

Chisinau, 30 March /MOLDPRES/ - The holders of more broadcasting licences are obliged to give them up, preserving two ones of the same type (two TV licences and two radio ones), after the parliament has cancelled the article II of the law on amendment and completion of the Article 66 of Moldova’s Audiovisual Code. The amendment was passed with the votes of 79 lawmakers of the 86 present ones, the parliament’s communication and public relations department has reported.     

Also today, the MPs voted that six hours of local content be broadcast in the maximum audience period. The law stipulates that the hours of local content be broadcast in the time intervals: 06:00-09:00; 17:00-23:00 starting from Mondays till Fridays and 06:00-00:00 on Saturdays and Sundays for TV; 06:00-13:00; 17:00-20:00 for radio.     

At the same time, the Moldovan product will represent at least eight hours of the daily broadcasting volume and will be aired exclusively in the interval 06:00-24:00. At least six hours of the Moldovan product will be broadcast in the maximum audience period, of which at least four hours in the state language.   

Also, the draft sees gradual application of penalties by the national authority. Thus, the Audiovisual Coordination Council (CCA) will apply sanctions depending on the seriousness and the frequency of the infringements committed.  

The MPs backed the measurement of the audience quotas being carried out by a company selected based on a transparent tender at least once in five years, in line with the procedures and conditions set in a regulation approved by CCA.     

The draft was registered in parliament in May 2015, and approved by the Council of Europe and OSCE.