Moldovan official journal roundup for 14 April

Chisinau, 13 April /MOLDPRES/- Broadcasters will be required to distribute at least 30 per cent of local content between 18:00-24:00, according to legislative amendments, due to be published in the Official Journal of Moldova on 14 April.

Under the document, the local product will comprise at least eight hours daily volume of emission and will be broadcast entirely between 06:00-24:00. At the same time, at least six hours of domestic product will be broadcast in prime time, including at least four hours – in the state language.

The draft aims at boosting the domestic production, respectively, increasing jobs and skills in media, setting clear rules for broadcasters and excluding possibility of abuse of the national regulatory authority in the audiovisual field. Also, its goal is to set a mechanism that will allow efficient and accurate enforcement of audience measures.

Under the amendments, the Audiovisual Coordinating Council will be required to select every five years following an international competition an audience measurement company.

Radio broadcasters and service distributors will pay fines from 5,000 to 30,000 lei, if new amendments are violated.

The legislative amendments will enter into force on 1 October.

(Reporter A. Plitoc, editor M. Jantovan)