22. 10. 2012

OUR GOAL IS FREEDOM OF THE MEDIA!

Legislation should provide that a journalist is obliged to publish information of public importance. Disclosure of information should be treated as a criminal offense

Interview
Vilibald Eric, Advisor to the Minister of Culture and Media and Chairman of the SNS Media Committee

Belgrade, October 22, 2012. (Kurir) - Vilibald Erić, Advisor to the Minister of Culture and Media and Chairman of the SNS Media Committee, said that the freedom of the media is the aim of his party and the whole Government.

- One way to achieve this goal is to legally regulate the obligation of journalists and the media to publish any received information of the public interest that is related to corruption and crime. Disclosure of information should be a criminal offense. Besides, abolition of one national frequency should be considered. Three years ago, advertizing market was 160 million and it is now 90 million Euros. If RTS takes 25 million, the rest is not sufficient for commercial televisions' costs.

How do they manage to survive then?
- In Serbia, there is the manipulation of political marketing. People with political influence provide funds to the media through their marketing agencies and influence them in this way.

What is your comment on the conclusion of RBA and RTS that the current funding model is inefficient and that providing a stable funding option is necessary?
- I am for abolishment of the subscription fee and introducing funding RTS and RTV from the public budget. Ten million Euros per month is needed to cover their needs. This fund would be enabled by taxing all digital personal and business signals, licensing rights and copyrights. People are not eager to pay the fee because they do not find the concept of RTS acceptable. This is proof that leadership in RBA and RTS must be replaced.

Do you believe that business policy of RTS needs to be changed?
- The concept advocated by the RBA and RTS - one man, director, decides on the fate of the television - it is outdated. RTS needs a producer who runs television, as well as a news editor. I would also abolish advertising on RTS. There may be only sponsors. This is the way to separate financial performance of editorial policy.

How to solve this problem in regard with commercial televisions?
- They would allocate 30 percent of their profit to the fund at the Ministry of Culture, from which the money would be given for projects of national interest, young writers and broadcasters who need help ... RTS would also be able to apply for project funding.

Does the state have the power to send an independent auditor to RTS in order to audit its financial performance?
- Financial status of RTS has to be evaluated, especially having in mind that the debt of 70 million euros is reported, and I believe that is even larger. The cause of all this must be investigated.

Do you believe that ownership in the media should be investigated?

We refer to the report of Verica Barac from 2010. We asked to act according to its report and  RBA failed to do that.

Will you keep insisting on that?

- We propose merging of RBA and RATEl. We need to make fundamental changes and to reorganize RRA, RATEL and their leadership, in order to start the privatization of the media. Only RTS, and perhaps Politika, should be state-owned.