Slovakia

[SK] Act on Radio and Television Broadcasting Amended

IRIS 2000-8:1/17

Eleonora Bobáková

Department of International Relations Council for Broadcasting and Retransmission Slovakia

The most recent amendment of Act No. 468/1991 o prevádzkovaní rozhlasového a televízneho vysielania (Act on Pursuing of Radio and Television Broadcasting) has been published on 20 June 2000. The adoption of this amendment comes only three months before the expected passing of a completely new Act on broadcasting and retransmission. The Zakon 227/2000 ktor 'ym sa mení zákon 468/1991 v znení neskorsích predpisov a zákon c. 81/1966 v znení neskorsích predpisov (Act No. 227/2000 to amend the Act No. 468/1991 and Act No. 81/1966 on Periodical Press) is the thirteenth modification of the Radio and Television Broadcasting Act and deals with a provision of § 5, letter b that states: "§ 5 Operators are obliged: (...) b) To ensure that broadcast programmes do not promote war and do not describe cruel or other inhuman actions in such a way as to downplay, excuse or approve them;

And not to promote or to describe the abuse of drugs and any psychotropic matters in a way that is a one-sided down-playing, excusing or approval of this behaviour."

Moreover, due to a change of section 20, paragraph 5 of the Act related to sanctions, the amount of the possible fine has been doubled: The maximum fine of 5.000 000 SKK has been increased to the 10.000 000 SKK (1 EURO = 42,58 SKK on 15 August 2000).

This change might be related to the massive reaction of the public, professionals and politicians to a recent television programme. An interview with a show business celebrity dealt with the positive influence of drugs on the creativity of the artist.

An identical provision has already become part of the draft of the new Act on broadcasting and retransmission, in Part V. § 19, letter d. Currently this Act is in second reading in the Slovak parliament. The enactment of this new Act is expected for 1 October 2000.