Newsroom
Broadcast and print regulations for Kosovo media approved
PRISTINA 21 June 2000
PRISTINA, 21 June 2000 - Two regulations which fundamentally affect Kosovo's media have been signed by the Special Representative of the Secretary General, Dr Bernard Kouchner. One is on licensing the broadcast media; the second is on the conduct of the print media.
"The broadcast regulation has been long awaited," said Douglas Davidson, Director of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo's Media Affairs Department. "Both this and the temporary code of conduct developed for print will do much to shape the development of Kosovo's media."
UNMiK Regulation 2000/36, On the Licensing and Regulation of the Broadcast Media in Kosovo, establishes a temporary licensing and regulatory regime for the broadcast media. Under it, the responsibilities of a Temporary Media Commissioner are set out. The Commissioner establishes the criteria and the procedures for issuing broadcast licences. If a license is denied the Temporary Media Commissioner will have to explain why that has happened. The Temporary Media Commissioner will be in post until an Interim Media Commission, consisting of a majority of Kosovar members, is established.
In applying for and receiving a license, broadcasters agree to abide by a Broadcast Code of Conduct which will set standards for Kosovo's television and radio. This Code includes the need for factual reporting, avoiding sensationalism and providing balanced coverage.
UNMiK Regulation 2000/37, On the Conduct of the Print Media in Kosovo, has been passed to deal with the special circumstances which exist in Kosovo. It is a temporary measure until there is effective self-regulation of the print media. This was sparked by a spate of irresponsible reports in Kosovo newspapers directly endangering lives of individuals.
Under this regulation, the Temporary Media Commissioner will issue a temporary Code of Conduct, in consultation with the Special Representative of the Secretary General and those involved with the media. The new Code will demand that Kosovo's journalists behave responsibly and act in a way consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. In both regulations media are barred from publishing details of an individual which would pose a threat to that person's life.
Both the broadcast and the print regulations give the Temporary Media Commissioner a range of sanctions if the Codes of Conduct are breached. They range from demanding an apology or correction be broadcast or printed, issuing a fine of up to 100,000 DM, to closing down the operation.
The media can appeal to a soon to be established Media Appeals Board. This is an independent body which hears appeals against decisions made by the Temporary Media Commissioner. The board will be comprised of two international members and a local member. Its decisions are final.
The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is working to develop a responsible media which operates fairly in a democratic society. These regulations are both temporary - the broadcast one in place until a more permanent licensing structure is established through the Interim Media Commission and the print one in place until Kosovo's media itself becomes more professional and has an effective mechanism of self regulation. The OSCE sees these regulations as instrumental in the development of a democratic media for Kosovo.
For further information, contact Press and Public Information of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, tel.: +381 38 500 162 ext. 118, 218, 260, 342. Satphone: 871 762 009 948. Fax: +381 38 500 188. Satfax: 871 382 425 022.
"The broadcast regulation has been long awaited," said Douglas Davidson, Director of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo's Media Affairs Department. "Both this and the temporary code of conduct developed for print will do much to shape the development of Kosovo's media."
UNMiK Regulation 2000/36, On the Licensing and Regulation of the Broadcast Media in Kosovo, establishes a temporary licensing and regulatory regime for the broadcast media. Under it, the responsibilities of a Temporary Media Commissioner are set out. The Commissioner establishes the criteria and the procedures for issuing broadcast licences. If a license is denied the Temporary Media Commissioner will have to explain why that has happened. The Temporary Media Commissioner will be in post until an Interim Media Commission, consisting of a majority of Kosovar members, is established.
In applying for and receiving a license, broadcasters agree to abide by a Broadcast Code of Conduct which will set standards for Kosovo's television and radio. This Code includes the need for factual reporting, avoiding sensationalism and providing balanced coverage.
UNMiK Regulation 2000/37, On the Conduct of the Print Media in Kosovo, has been passed to deal with the special circumstances which exist in Kosovo. It is a temporary measure until there is effective self-regulation of the print media. This was sparked by a spate of irresponsible reports in Kosovo newspapers directly endangering lives of individuals.
Under this regulation, the Temporary Media Commissioner will issue a temporary Code of Conduct, in consultation with the Special Representative of the Secretary General and those involved with the media. The new Code will demand that Kosovo's journalists behave responsibly and act in a way consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. In both regulations media are barred from publishing details of an individual which would pose a threat to that person's life.
Both the broadcast and the print regulations give the Temporary Media Commissioner a range of sanctions if the Codes of Conduct are breached. They range from demanding an apology or correction be broadcast or printed, issuing a fine of up to 100,000 DM, to closing down the operation.
The media can appeal to a soon to be established Media Appeals Board. This is an independent body which hears appeals against decisions made by the Temporary Media Commissioner. The board will be comprised of two international members and a local member. Its decisions are final.
The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is working to develop a responsible media which operates fairly in a democratic society. These regulations are both temporary - the broadcast one in place until a more permanent licensing structure is established through the Interim Media Commission and the print one in place until Kosovo's media itself becomes more professional and has an effective mechanism of self regulation. The OSCE sees these regulations as instrumental in the development of a democratic media for Kosovo.
For further information, contact Press and Public Information of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, tel.: +381 38 500 162 ext. 118, 218, 260, 342. Satphone: 871 762 009 948. Fax: +381 38 500 188. Satfax: 871 382 425 022.