02. 06. 2009

ANEM PARTICIPATION IN THE PUBLIC DEBATE ON DRAFT STRATEGY OF THE DIGITAL TRANSITION

The Draft Strategy and Action Plan for the transition from analog to digital broadcasting of radio and television program in the Republic of Serbia, Serbia opted for switching off the analog signal broadcasting on April 4th, 2012. MPEG-4 was chosen as the data compression method, while DVB-T2 will be the standard for broadcasting digital television signal. Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Society, conducted the public debate on this Draft, which was prepared by inter-sector work group, consisted of representatives of the named Ministry, Ministry of Culture, as well as RBA and RATEL. The public debate was initiated on the 22nd of May 2009 and it lasted up to June 12th, 2009. Within public debate, round tables in Belgrade, Novi Sad and Niš, were held.

ANEM representatives were present at the round table in Belgrade, held on June 1st, at the Great Hall of the Faculty of Civil Engineering. Besides, realizing the importance and consequences of changes brought by digitalization and protecting the best interests of its members, ANEM has participated in the public debate with its proposals on this Draft. , ANEM has made those proposals in close cooperation with its member, RTV B92, which has further promoted ANEM proposals and harmonized them with national TV media outlets- TV Pink and TV Fox. Thus, ANEM proposals were incorporated in the joint proposal of those three commercial broadcasters and submitted to the Ministry.

Working on the proposals, ANEM has paid special attention to the interests of local and regional stations in its membership.

Text of the Strategy, which was adopted by the Government on its session on July 2, shows that the following ANEM suggestions were accepted:

• A place in multiplexes, in the moment when the analog broadcasting of television signal ceases, will be guaranteed only to broadcasters holding a valid broadcasting license;
• The said provisions guarantee an equal application of the same, non-discriminatory conditions regarding quality, accessibility and fees for all broadcasters by the future network operator, whereas the fees will be based on a cost-principle and exclusion of the possibility of the operators affecting the content of the program;
• The rights and the market position of operators holding valid licenses will be guaranteed;
• The provisions guarantee that no special simulcast fee will be charged;
• The provisions guarantee that service zones from the existing broadcasting licenses will be maintained;
• The provisions guarantee the supply of the same throughput for all programs in the scope of the multiplex.

ANEM will continue, within the project of legal monitoring of Serbian media scene, and through its advocacy activities, to actively participate in the process of digitalization.  

More information (Strategy of Digitalization published with the authorization of Ministry of Telecommunications; joint broadcasters' proposal available in Serbian only):  

Joint proposal of RTV B92, TV Fox and Pink
Draft Strategy and Action plan for digitalization