21. 05. 2013

OSCE: THE MOST IMPORTANT STABILITY OF PUBLIC SERVICE

Belgrade, May 21, 2013 (RTS) - The obligation of the state to provide independent financial functioning of public services, whose financial independence is now jeopardized due to the small rate of collection of the TV subscription fee, said the head of the Media Department of the OSCE Mission to Serbia Dragana Nikolic Solomon.

Asked whether the OSCE approved the abolition of TV subscription fee and switching to budget funding, Nikolic Solomon responded that the organization could not currently recommend the best financing model.

The dominant model in many European countries is a combination of subscriptions, limited advertising revenue and transparent government funding of programs of public interest, said Nikolic Solomon.

Nikolic Solomon said that the long-term, stable funding is the most important that should provide for the high-quality programs and independent editorial policy.

Nikolic Solomon also said that so far there is no reason for concern when it comes to making media law.