12. 08. 2004

Broadcast act amendments under fire

BELGRADE, August 12, 2004 (Beta) – Amendments to the Broadcast Act announced by the government have drawn sharp criticism from media associations and organisations. The amendments to the act, to be debated by the Serbian Parliament next week, provide for a parliamentary committee to nominate candidates for the Broadcast Agency Council. As the act stands at present, these are nominated by the parliament, the Serbian Government and the Vojvodina Executive Council. The amendments have been criticised by the Association of Independent Electronic Media, the Independent Association of Serbian Journalists and the Belgrade Media Centre. They argue that the act presently in force should be amended, adding that adopting completely new legislation would only exacerbate and prolong the already difficult situation in the media. At the heart of the problem, say the three media organisations, is the dominant influence of state bodies on the appointment of Broadcast Agency Council members. This, they say, stands in the way of the body’s independence and violates international standards and democratic principles. “The draft amendments to the Broadcast Act sidestep this problem, settling for a mere cosmetic change, because only those authorised to nominate Council members have changed; now it is a parliamentary committee instead of the parliament and two governments. The make-up of the council, which is the essential problem, remains unchanged,” said the media associations.