The Chisinau Court of Appeal rejected the broadcasters’ request of annulling the BCC decision forcing them to have 30% of domestic programs in their airtime

The Chisinau Court of Appeal rejected the application of the 13 broadcasters that asked for annulment of the Broadcasting Coordinating Council (BCC) decision demanding media outlets to broadcast at least 30% of domestic programs, half of them in Romanian, during prime time, according to jurnal.md.

At the end of 2012, the broadcasting regulator issued a decision, according to which domestic programs had to make up not less than 30% of the weekly airtime, except advertizing, promotions and teleshopping.

Broadcasters were to comply with new rules beginning on 1 April 2013. However, several TV channels that rebroadcast programs from abroad sent a protest letter to the BCC, asking it to review the decision. Subsequently, applicants filed a lawsuit against the BCC. The court rejected the broadcasters’ application, finding it unsubstantiated.

Media expert Ion Bunduchi criticizes both the actions of the regulator and the position of broadcasters. “The problem concerning 30% of domestic programs is false,” he says, mentioning that there was no need to have a separate decision to substitute the existing obligations assumed by broadcasters.

“Broadcasters were asked, by a separate decision of the BCC, to fulfill the obligations they assumed when receiving broadcasting licenses. There was no need to have a separate decision of the BCC; instead, it was necessary to supervise the broadcasters’ activities. According to the national legislation on broadcasting, supervision is a right, a function and an obligation of the BCC,” the expert explains. Ion Bunduchi finds the actions of the BCC useless: “It caused unnecessary loss of paper, nerves, time, and money.”

The decision of the Chisinau Court of Appeal can be challenged in the Supreme Court over the course of two months.
 
Source of photo: http://www.ca.justice.md