Experts explained how to work language quotas on TV

The deputies adopted the bill, which introduces on TV mandatory quota programs and films in Ukrainian.

After the introduction of quotas for songs and programs in Ukrainian language on radio, Parliament has undertaken legislation to promote the Ukrainian and on television. On Tuesday, may 23, deputies of the 269 votes passed the bill, which introduces on TV mandatory quota programs and films in Ukrainian. If the document will be signed by the President (Peter Poroshenko has announced the signing – ed.), national television channels will have to broadcast 75% of content in Ukrainian. For regional channels, the figure is set at 60%. At the same time on all TV channels of Ukraine 75% of the news should go in the Ukrainian language.

Faction “Opposition bloc” for the bill, did not vote, calling it totalitarian and “advancing the rights and freedoms of citizens”. In response, one of its authors, head of the Committee on freedom of speech and information policy Victoria syumar noted that the document met all the European standards: “Such laws exist in several countries of Europe. Totalitarianism was, when the Ukrainian land was destroyed, the Ukrainian language was forbidden to speak it. Stop confusing the issue”, says DW.

The quota compromise

In the calculation of language quotas will take into account the total duration of the movies, news and other programs created dubbed or dubbed in Ukrainian. All Soviet movies and cartoons that were created before August 1, 1991, must be subtitled in Ukrainian, but they will not be counted as Ukrainian content. The national Council on television and radio broadcasting, to monitor the compliance of TV channels of the law, supports innovation, although with some reservations.

“Today is technically difficult to monitor compliance with quotas, as provided for weekly monitoring. This requires improvement of the monitoring center”, – explained the Deputy head of the national Council Juliana Feshchuk.

Members of Parliament proposed to amend this rule by typing instead of the daily calculation of the language of quotas, which is currently used for radio broadcast. “Although the daily quota for radio has shown its effectiveness, the proposed weekly measurements of quotas on television is a compromise between large media groups and MPs,” – said the media expert of the NGO “media Detector” Galina Petrenko.

In her opinion, penalties in the amount of 5% of the total amount of the license fee provided for in the bill can be a good deterrent for TV channels, so they began to manipulate quotas. “We still have to connect and public control”, – said Petrenko.

Russian language to be

Now in Ukraine, according to experts, 50-85% of the content on TV is broadcast in Russian. After the entry into force of the bill in the air of the Ukrainian TV channels should remain only 25% for broadcasting in the Russian language on national channels and 40% in the region. Besides, the bill provides that lead to transmission have to speak the Ukrainian language, however, this does not apply to guests of a TV show or comments in interviews and reports.

All of this may be broadcast in Russian, said the expert of Institute of mass information Roman Kabachii: “of Course, Russian will remain, but not in those volumes which were. At least one morning and one evening news can be in Russian, because Ukrainian TV channels are obliged to broadcast mainly in Prime time”. Moreover, in the transitional provisions of the draft law States that all TV shows and movies that TV channels on your money withdraw prior to the entry into force, can be broadcast in the original language, and they will be credited in the quotas. “It’s time the broadcasters to adapt,” said medallist Igor Rozkladay.

According to him, the authors of the bill for the first time drew attention to indigenous peoples living in Ukraine. Channels that broadcast in the languages of indigenous peoples, will 45% of its live broadcast in these languages, 30% – Ukrainian, and another 25% – other, including and in Russian. “In Ukraine the indigenous peoples is Gagauz, Krymchaks and Crimean Tatars. They received support”, – said Igor Rozkladay.

To be continued

The bill defines that the document takes effect on the fourth month from the date of its publication after endorsement by the President. Petro Poroshenko has already announced on his page in Facebook that he intends to sign the bill.

“Guaranteed the rights of neuroinvasion. At the level of regional and local channels in Russian and other languages fixed 40% of the air. Took care of Crimean Tatar. Consequently, the Ukrainian language on Ukrainian TV! PS: all understood that the law will sign?”, – wrote the President.

Meanwhile, the Opposition bloc began collecting signatures under the appeal to the constitutional court demanding to recognize – in the case of adoption, this law is not unconstitutional.

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