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Alert

ANEM asks public broadcast agency to clearly explain broadcast licencing decisions

(ANEM/IFEX) - The following is a 25 April 2006 ANEM statement:

BROADCAST AGENCY MUST EXPLAIN DECISIONS

BELGRADE, April 25, 2006 - The Association of Independent Electronic Media asks that the Serbian Broadcast Agency, without delay, provide explanations to applicants who were refused broadcasting licenses in the recent public competition. In this way the procedure would be put back into the framework prescribed by the law.

The inflammatory situation in which comment is being made on the decisions, with no knowledge of the basis on which they have been made, has caused considerable pain in the industry. The suspicion has been voiced that the Council's decisions represent "the satisfying of the interests and needs of the most influential political parties and major capital" and this suspicion can only be eliminated if the procedure is made fully transparent. Thus ANEM insists that the agency assist in calming the situation by publishing the reasons for its decisions without waiting for the legal deadline to do so.

ANEM, in line with its principles, was an advocate for regulating chaos in the airwaves and supported the idea of entrusting a professional and independent body with the process of allocating broadcasting licenses. We insisted on the process of nominating and appointing members to the Broadcast Agency Council being carried out consistently and on this body being protected from the application of pressure by various centers of financial and political power. Our ethical position was frequently attacked as an attempt to obstruct implementation of the Broadcast Act. We now believe it is obvious that, by insisting on honoring the Act and on appointing a credible council, we tried to prevent the situation we now see. Now, not just the decisions which have been made, but the undisputed principles behind entrusting an independent body with such decisions has become a problem.

ANEM believes that, at this time, it is vitally important to insist on consistent implementation of the Broadcast Act and on honoring the principles of the rule of law. Those who are dissatisfied must be allowed to express their dissatisfaction in the form prescribed by the law, by filing a complaint with the agency, without the inappropriate accusations and counter-accusations which threaten to compromise the very principles on which democratic societies base the regulation of broadcasting.

No decision of the council can be above the law, just as no member of this body must be above the law. They must also not be in breach of the principles of professionalism in the media and the internationally recognized standards and principles in the broadcasting field.