CONCESSION AND FREQUENCY FEES DECREASED BY 50 PER CENT

ZAGREB, Sept 28 (Hina) - Fees for radio and television concessions in Croatia and frequency fees (including Croatian Radio and Television) will be decreased by 50 per cent. As of October 2 concession fees will be 40 to 62 per cent less, and frequencies from 49.3 to 55 per cent, assistant Post and Telecommunications Minister Dominik Filipovic said at Tuesday's meeting with representatives of the association of Croatian local media, the National Association of Televisions (NUT) and the Croatian Radio and Television (HRT). Business expenses will be decreased during technical check-ups and documentation which radio and television stations will be able to draft themselves, with the help of the ministry, without a mediator, Filipovic said. President of the Association of Croatian local media and director of the Obiteljski radio, Juraj Hrvacic, asked for the protection of existing concessionaires from disturbances in frequencies and unfair competition. NUT president Srdjan Buzancic said that in the distribution of the marketing pie, the HRT has a 92 per cent piece, while the others have the remaining eight per cent. He asked whether, along with subscriptions, the HRT should also have such a big marketing part. HRT board member Josip Djerek dismissed this dilemma saying that the issue had already been discussed and Croatia was no exception in Europe. Filipovic said that out of 120 radio stations, 25 owed money for concession, and four owed frequency fees. The reason for the bad business is not in the length of advertisements aired which are often a stumbling block, but in the economic situation and quality of programmes, Filipovic said. He said that 120 local radio stations in Croatia was too many, while the number of television stations could be bigger. (hina) lml jn