[Nettime-bold] Re: ANEM AMENDMENT TO BROADCAST BILL REJECTED

["Ivo Skoric" <ivo@reporters.net>]

One of the biggest problems of democracies is that their legislative 
bodies are not always the most progressive institutions. They often 
and neccessary reflect the median of society. Take U.S. Congress 
for example. Serbian parliament is therefore neither an exception 
nor a surprise to me. ANEM on the other hand is one of the most 
progressive structures in Serbia. And I believe they shall continue 
to fight so that media people get more control over their media.
ivo

Date sent:      	Thu, 11 Jul 2002 09:37:37 +1000
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From:           	geert lovink <geert@DESK.NL>
Subject:        	ANEM AMENDMENT TO BROADCAST BILL REJECTED
To:             	JUSTWATCH-L@LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU

ANEM press release

ANEM AMENDMENT TO BROADCAST BILL REJECTED

BELGRADE, July 10, 2002 - The Information and Culture Committee of the
Serbian Parliament yesterday rejected an ANEM-proposed amendment to the
Broadcast Bill, which would have limited state influence over the formation
of the Broadcast Agency Council by giving civil society groups the right to
nominate an additional member to the Council.

Under the Bill submitted by the government to parliament, four of the nine
members of the Council would be nominated by the governments of Serbia and
its northern province of Vojvodina, and four by the so-called civil society
groups - university rectors; church and religious communities; broadcasters,
journalists, film and theatre artists, and composers; and local NGOs and
civil associations dealing with freedom of speech, ethnic minorities and
children's rights. The eight members would then nominate a ninth, from
Kosovo.

The original proposal drafted with the support of the Council of Europe and
the OSCE envisaged a Broadcast Agency Council with 15 members, only two of
whom would be nominated by the Serbian and Vojvodina governments. The
Serbian government submitted this draft to parliament, only to then withdraw
it and alter the text overnight. Through its amendment, the Association of
Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) sought to strike a balance between those
with the right to nominate members to the Council. ANEM proposed that the
Serbian parliament, which already has the right to vote on all eventual
candidates, give up one nomination in favour of the association of film and
theatre artists and composers. This association would then be able to
nominate its own candidate instead of sharing the right with the
associations of public broadcasters and journalists.

The amendment was eventually rejected by five votes to two, with one
abstention.

ANEM is astonished that media and journalists, that contributed greatly to
the peaceful and democratic changes in Serbia, are refused the right to
nominate even one representative to a body that will in fact regulate the
field in which they work. This is perhaps the clearest indicator of the way
the state and the ruling coalition view media today.

With this decision, the Serbian Parliament will almost certainly adopt a
Bill that will allow the state to wield excessive influence over the
formation of the Broadcast Agency Council. Bearing in mind the Council's
considerable powers, such influence could seriously compromise its
independence. Legislation once seen as a true and essential break from the
authoritarian past has unfortunately become the latest example of the
authorities' unwillingness to fully democratise broadcasting and relinquish
its grip on the media.

ANEM would like to reiterate its support for a number of provisions left
within the Bill, in particular the planned transformation of the state
broadcaster, Radio Television Serbia, into a public service.

Veran Matic

ANEM Chairman

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