Financing of Public Broadcaster must be stable and adequate, independent of political interference, – Radka Betcheva, European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Head of Members Relations and Eastern Europe made the regarding statement while commenting on the National Movement’s initiative about changing the rule for financing of Public Broadcaster.
As Radka Betcheva noted, there are clear standards of funding of public media that are defined by the Council of Europe and the funding principles of the European Broadcasting Union.
“Public media should be independent. Independence is one of the main values approved by all members of the European Broadcasting Union at the General Assembly in Strasbourg, 2012.
This envisages not only institutional and editorial independence but also financial one.
There are clear standards of funding of public media that are defined by the Council of Europe and the funding principles of the European Broadcasting Union.
Financing of Public Broadcaster must be stable and adequate, independent of political interference, fair and justified, transparent and accountable.
If public media organizations funding depends on decision of the Government or Parliament, it will become a subject of political interference and pressure”, – Radka Betcheva said.
European Broadcasting Union (EBU) prepares a special letter on the initiative of the National Movement, which refers to changing the rules of financing of the Public Broadcaster. According to EBU, the letter will be sent to all relevant agencies, international organizations as an alert signal from the country.
The National Movement Faction initiated the draft-bill at today’s sitting of the Parliament Bureau about making changes into Law on Broadcasting. MP Roman Gotsiridze is the author of the initiative, which envisages altering the rule for financing of Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB).
Based on the initiative, the amount of money to be allocated from the state budget to GPB should be defined according to the projects presented by the broadcaster. The limit of minimal financing will be abolished.
