Romania

[RO] Modification and Completion of Law on Romanian Public Broadcaster

IRIS 2013-10:1/36

Eugen Cojocariu

Radio Romania International

On 8 October 2013, the Romanian Senate (Upper Chamber of the Romanian Parliament) adopted by a large majority the Proiectul de lege pentru modificarea şi completarea Legii nr. 41/1994 privind organizarea şi funcţionarea Societăţii Române de Radiodifuziune şi Societăţii Române de Televiziune (Bill on the modification and completion of Act no. 41/1994 on the organisation and operation of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation and of the Romanian Television Corporation). The decision of the Senate is final. The bill had been adopted by the Chamber of Deputies (Lower Chamber) on 24 September 2013 in the course of an emergency procedure (see IRIS 1998-8/16, IRIS 2000-4/18, IRIS 2003-8/25, and IRIS 2013-5/37).

The changes are meant to increase the funding offered by the state budget for the production and broadcasting of radio and TV progammes aimed at the international market. The new Act also enables Romanian public service broadcasters to set up private legal persons, to become associates of private legal entities, or to buy shares in existing firms and corporations.

The funds of the Societatea Română de Radiodifuziune (SRR) and Societatea Română de Televiziune (SRTV) designated for programmes in Romanian and other languages to be broadcast in foreign countries are used for the production and broadcasting of Radio Romania International and of TVR International. The funds are also used for Radio Chişinău, launched by the SRR on 1 December 2011, which covers about 70% of the territory of the Republic of Moldova with programmes in Romanian, using seven FM frequencies. The SRR intends to set up another radio station abroad, in other neighbouring countries with significant Romanian communities.

Moreover, the modification of Act 41/1994 fosters the intention of the SRTV to revive broadcasting its television programmes in the Republic of Moldova, which was interrupted during the ruling of the Communist Party (until 2009).