Russian Federation

[RU] New Regulation on Licensing in the Field of Broadcasting on Competition Basis

IRIS 1999-8:1/12

Marina Savintseva

Moscow Media Law and Policy Centre

On 26 June 1999, the Government of the Russian Federation adopted the Decree on Competitions for Obtaining Broadcasting Rights and on Development of New Radio-Frequency Channels for Broadcasting. The Decree determines the new licencing procedure in Russia. Under the new Decree broadcasting licences and licences to use telecommunications frequencies are to be obtained on the basis of competitions in the capitals of the regions of the Russian Federation and in those cities with a population of more than 200.000 people. The Federal Service for Television and Radio Broadcasting (FSTR) shall determine the conditions of the competition and the announcement of the tender shall be published in the mass media no later than 60 days prior to the competition. The FSTR shall establish the Federal Broadcasting Competition Commission (FBCC) comprised of 9 to 12 members, which will be charged with conducting the competition and summarizing its results. Legal entities and registered businessmen are entitled to take part in the competition. Each participant in the competition must pay a competition fee (no more than 2% of the fixed broadcasting rights fee) and shall submit an application and all the necessary documents to the FSTR. The list and results of the competition shall be published in the mass media. The FBCC shall proclaim as the winner of the competition the participant with the best broadcasting concept and business plan. The FSRT and the State Telecommunication Committee shall issue the broadcasting licence and the licence to use telecommunications frequencies to the winner of the competition provided that he pays the broadcasting rights fee within 10 banking days from the day of the completion of the competition.