OSCE media watchdog presents report on problems of media registration in OSCE area

VIENNA, 30 March 2007 - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, has presented a special report on media registration.

The report, Registration of the Print Media in the OSCE area: Observations and Recommendations, was delivered to the Permanent Council, the OSCE's main decision-making body, on Thursday.

"The registration of the print media should be a simple notification procedure, whereby a private media outlet informs the authorities of its existence," said Haraszti. "Any procedure that grants the authorities discretionary powers over media start-ups, such as a permissive registration procedure, should be abolished."

The report provides examples of best practices from across the OSCE region. It also shows how registration systems are used in some countries as a mechanism of control over the independent media.

The full report is available in English and Russian at:

Special Report: Registration of Print Media in the OSCE area - Observations and recommendations
Special Report: Registration of Print Media in the OSCE area - Observations and recommendations