Ro
En
Рy
Mr. Pocaznoi, what are, in your opinion, the greatest problems of broadcasting in our country?
There are legislative gaps that are hindering us from ensuring the transparency of broadcasters’ ownership. Two legislative initiatives have been registered that could change the situation, one of them coming from a party in the governing coalition. We hope that such a draft law will be adopted during the current Parliament session, so that we can have media ownership transparency after the legislative amendments enter into force, making consumers aware of who is behind each TV channel or radio station.
Another problem is the promotion of domestic products. In late 2012, the BCC forced broadcasters to have at least 30% of airtime filled with domestic products, half of which had to be in Romanian, during prime time. The decision, however, was blocked in court, and the proceedings are being delayed: we won the case in the first instance, in the Centru court of Chisinau, and the case is currently pending in the Court of Appeal.
I would also like to mention the need to include into the Broadcasting Code provisions giving to the BCC levers that would enable it to ensure the country’s information security. I don’t mean complete closure of a broadcaster, but the fact that the BCC must be able to react promptly and suspend some programs. Favorable conditions must be created for the development of domestic broadcasting.
Is the information security of Moldova under threat?
We began monitoring five televisions: four domestic (Prime TV, TV7, RTR Moldova and Ren TV Moldova, which rebroadcast some programs of foreign channels), and one television that is only rebroadcast by cable (Rossiya 24). Monitoring results will be presented in an open session. Information has been collected and is now being decoded. The data will also be verified by the Association of Independent Press and the Independent Journalism Center, so that we have more than the view of the BCC, involving as many experts as possible, who would say what is happening with the televisions coming from the Russian Federation. If findings show that some channels are encroaching on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a country, they must be penalized, so that they stop promoting such topics.
The Supervisory Board of Teleradio-Moldova has been non-functional for almost six months because the Parliament has delayed appointing six of its members. How does this situation affect the work of the public broadcaster?
Lots of questions arise as to why the Parliament fails to choose six out of the 12 candidates proposed by the BCC. In my personal opinion, there are strong candidates among the 12, who could deal with the situation at Teleradio-Moldova. I don’t know the reason of the delay; there might be negotiations going on…
Do you admit that it might be caused by political interests?
I don’t exclude that, nor can I say that for sure. The most appropriate person to say that is the chairman of the specialized parliamentary committee Chiril Luchinschi. It is certainly not good. The law clearly requires three managing bodies for the public broadcaster: the Supervisory Board, the company’s president, and directors of radio and television; therefore, it is not normal that one of these bodies, which has certain responsibilities, is non-functional. We hope that the Parliament selects suitable candidates soon.
What do you think about the intention of the authorities of Gagauzia to issue broadcasting licenses to the region’s televisions in avoidance of the BCC?
I find it to be a form of separatism. We have been dealing with this problem for over five years. An institution in the Gagauz autonomy – the office of constructions and industry – has been issuing rebroadcasting authorizations to cable operators. The BCC filed lawsuits against every business entity that received such an authorization. We won the cases, but later the same persons created other entities and repeatedly obtained rebroadcasting authorizations. We then had to file a lawsuit against the institutions issuing these authorizations, and the case is now under examination in the first instance court in Comrat. I am sure we will win, as the actions of the Gagauz authorities are illegal.
We are in a year of elections. How will the BCC, as the regulatory authority in broadcasting and guarantor of public interest, make sure that the media comply with the principles of fair, balanced and impartial treatment when providing information?
These principles are set in the Broadcasting Code, and every broadcaster is bound to comply with them. In addition, at the start of every elections campaign, the BCC develops a concept for its coverage by broadcasters in Moldova. I believe that this year, if elections occur, we will also manage the situation. We will also try to engage a European expert for monitoring.
What do you believe the Moldovan broadcasting market will be like in the future? What news should information consumers expect? What are the risks and opportunities?
With the implementation of digital television beginning on 17 June 2015, things will change radically, and the broadcasters willing to have national coverage through the digital system, after the adoption of the strategy, will have to promote more and more domestic programs in Romanian. I hope that the future members of the BCC will pay attention to the aspects we are dealing with now when they implement this type of television. In the future, I believe, given the technological progress, broadcasting technologies will be much more varied, and consumers will have access to a greater number of televisions, ensuring that they receive objective, impartial and correct information.
Thank you for the interview!
Source of photo: http://www.jurnal.md/
