Bulgaria

[BG] Report on the Activities of the Media Regulator

IRIS 2011-7:1/15

Rayna Nikolova

New Bulgarian University

According to a report on the activities of the Council for Electronic Media of Bulgaria for the year 2010, two licenses for the digital broadcasting of “must carry” programmes have been issued, namely to Towercom Bulgaria EAD and Hannu Pro Bulgaria EAD. The procedure for granting the licenses was completed in February 2011.

During the reported period the procedure for granting licenses for television activities in accordance with the digital broadcasting agreement method was also finalised.

The following issues of concern have been raised in the regulator’s report for the second half of the previous year:

- Intellectual property protection efforts in the activities performed by media service providers;

- Consumer protection within the organisation of radio and television programmes where SMS-communication or other types of audience participation are required;

- Consumer protection through technology neutrality of commercial text in comparison to other content;

- Protection of content variety by introducing a period of prescription on the right to mandatory digital broadcasting of “must carry” television programmes;

- Protection of media independence through redrafting the definitions of national, regional and local programmes and by recognising legally the existence of radio chains.