Class in the unchanged field for regional channels aims to put on the bill presented yesterday at the Council of Ministers on Regional Channels through a new licensing process to be implemented by the ESR.
To date, 86 regional television stations operate under the status of “legal operation”, registered in his special register National Broadcasting Council. Initially, this would be a transitional and temporary regime, but it ended up last for decades. The result of this temporaryness is, in practice, that regional television stations are not subject to strict controls, operating in a landscape for the most part.
With the bill that has a title “Licensing of terrestrial digital television broadcasting providers of the regional scope and other provisions”the government legislates a comprehensive process of definitive licensing of regional television stations, ending an important institutional and legal pending. The aim is to ensure transparency, accountability, sustainability, as well as the creation of new jobs as well as the job security of journalists and staff.
“The bill on regional channels is not just another intervention for housekeeping in the media,” Deputy Minister under the Prime Minister and government spokesman said in RES-EIA. Paul Marinakisby filling in: “It is yet another proof that we have a plan, which is being implemented step by step and its goal is clear: we are allowed to operate in terms of legitimacy, which has been ignored for two decades, as the landscape of their licensing was unregulated. This will protect healthy businesses, ensure the jobs of those who work in them and open even more, reinforcing the growth potential of the channels, giving the Greek region. At the same time, however, the rules we put respect the television audience as they push businesses to produce quality content. “
What does the new draft law provide
The proposed draft law abolish the provisions of Law 4339/2015 (‘Law Pappa“) For the licensing (and) of the regional stations based on the auction model for the acquisition of licenses.
The National Broadcasting Council (ESR) remains the competent supervisory authority to implement the process and continue to supervise the operation of the television stations. Considering that the model ‘auctionThe new law has failed, the new bill stipulates that the fee for the acquisition of authorization is replaced by an annual cost of supervising the ESR, purely symbolic height and by proportionate criteria per region. The government considers that this provision will be licensed by healthy businesses that respect legitimacy and workers.
At the same time, the terms of operation are rationalized and rules are set, such as the restriction and establishment of specific rules for the “networking” of regional stations, as it is often observed that the television content of a Regional Station is often observed in other regions, making it essentially and in essence. “Nationwide range”. For this reason, the supervisory role of the ESR is significantly enhanced.
In addition, the vacuum is covered by the possibility of a high definition (HD) regional television stations (HD) and the framework for adapting to a specific technological model (DVB-T2) is created that can gradually enable more “HDs” to “now”.
“Our commitment is for a vast and transparent, licensing process, with guarantees of the prestige and independence of the ESR, which is what will give the” green light “so that all the region’s television stations will gain a competitive market share. This will be a conquest that will give independence to the voice of local communities and close that chapter of the past, who wanted television licenses to be for the few “fine” ‘, Mr. Marinakis also notes in RES-EIA.
The new licensing process
All candidates wishing to be licensed by the ESR should meet some minimum requirements, such as:
* Tax and insurance information
* Transparency in terms of ownership status, with the notification of each shareholder holding at least 1% of the business
* Criminal record check
* Minimum number of workers, journalists and non
* Minimum necessary building facilities and basic equipment
* Program fullness
In addition, television stations will be adhered to in their operation:
* The physiognomy of the station for which they were licensed (informative or not).
* Restrictions and specific rules for the “networking” of regional stations, so that they cannot relay the same program between stations, concealing nationwide broadcasting.
The licensing process is divided into two phases:
The first phase determines how many channels “fit” per regional zone, followed by an invitation to express an ESR of interest, which will then check whether candidates meet the minimum qualitative conditions and criteria.
If a “capacity” issue is raised, then the second phase of the process is activated where quality comparative criteria are examined (eg: turnover, number of additional employees, etc.).
The uninterrupted continuation of a number of stations at least equal number are ensured by the number of providers operating in each regional zone at the start of the process. Simply put, none of the existing television stations will be closed unless it meets the minimum qualitative prerequisites of the first phase.
The framework of the licensing process is established with the relevantity of the Ministry of Digital Governance and in close cooperation in recent months for the preparation of the provisions, while in cooperation with the National Telecommunications and Post Committee (EETT), the precise determination of its technical characteristics will be completed.
In the formation of the provisions and the general framework, a consultation with the ESR, Digea as a provider of the Network, the Hellenic Region (EETEP) Association, the Hellenic Channel Association (EKEK) and representatives of the District TV stations, has been underway.
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