ZAGREB, May 16 (Hina) - The Radio and Television Council, which parliament appointed at the government's proposal, is unhappy with the fact that in drawing up a new electronic media bill, the government did not ask it for an
opinion.
ZAGREB, May 16 (Hina) - The Radio and Television Council, which
parliament appointed at the government's proposal, is unhappy with
the fact that in drawing up a new electronic media bill, the
government did not ask it for an opinion. #L#
The government forwarded the bill, which should regulate the work
of electronic media in Croatia for the first time, into
parliamentary procedure on Thursday.
The authors of the bill missed the opportunity to draw up a good and
modern law, the Council said on Friday, appealing to MPs to point
out and rectify the government's omissions during the
parliamentary debate.
The Council said the draft was made by "people who are not familiar
with the matter", which the Council stated thwarted the principle
under which the media were to be given more independence and fully
distance themselves from the government.
Under the electronic media bill, the role of the Radio and
Television Council, which is in charge of allocating radio and
television concessions, would be taken over by a new body -- the
Electronic Media Council.
Unlike the current Council, the new one would have a wider sphere of
activity. Besides granting concessions, it would take complaints
by companies releasing electronic publications and might sanction
non-compliance with the law by withdrawing concessions.
(hina) ha sb