Portugal

[PT] New Concession for Public Service Television

IRIS 2005-5:1/20

Helena Sousa

Communication and Society Research Centre, University of Minho

The recently-elected socialist government in Portugal intends to reorganise the public service television operator, Rádiotelevisão Portuguesa (RTP). The government's programme, approved by the Parliament on 22 March 2005, states that the second national general channel (named 2:) will be fully reintegrated into a single public service concession to be established between the public operator and the state. The previous social democrats governments introduced a profound restructuring of RTP and the second RTP national channel was handed out to what the previous government called “civil society”.

In addition to the reorganization of RTP, the newly elected government wants to promote broadcasting programming quality by the creation of the necessary conditions for the incorporation of ombudspersons in both radio and television public service operators.

Regarding the overall media system, the government's programme states that a new media regulatory body will be set up within a short period of time. This independent regulatory entity should have links with the existing competition and telecommunications regulators.