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CNA proposes Romanian Government consultations with all parties affected by the Emergency Ordinance modifying Audiovisual Law

 

After more than 3 hours of heated debates, CNA members decided to send a letter in which to propose to the initiator of the Emergency Ordinance to ask for point of views from all actors affected by the document.

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“To believe that we can put it all together and reach to an agreement between TV owners, agencies and cable providers is utopical. What we can do is to inform the Government that we made these hearings. Some points of view were expressed (…) and they are pretty divergent” - Rasvan Popescu, CNA President, concluded at the end of the meeting.

Among the expressed opinions, Ioan Onisei, CNA VP, said that the law regarding decision maing transparency on public acquisitions and Romanian Constitution were disregarded and mentioned also that, in its actual form, the project is also in contradiction with 2 European Directives. 

What do advertising industry and cable industry representatives say?

Radu Petric, President Cable Communication Association –

  • We have a decision that was adopted.
  • A point no specialist understands is discrimination between 2 technologies as digitalization strategy is coming. The difference between cable and satellite isn’t justified in any way
  • When it comes of frequencies, not all of them are equal
  • You should sanction us with 1-3% because we don’t comply ordering in the program and because of transmission parameters. We are demanded to take over stereo sound with no noise. An engineer knows perfectly that a perfect signal doesn’t exist
  • Not all TVs made the same investments in the signal. Some have a weaker signal, some a much better one than needed, and we have the obligation to retransmit all of them equally. From a bad signal one cannot make a good one.
  • You have 5 days during which to decide if the problem was solved. You do not have the power to see if I break the law or not. You will have to teach Governments members and show what you can monitor
  • We would like to be treated as equals and to be possible to suspend the sanction also when we contest it in court.
  • Sanction of 1-3% from the turnover means bankruptcy
  • Emergency Ordinance is full of technical conditionings. There wasn’t given an ordinance to force broadcasters to respect certain technical criteria

Victor Dobre, Executive Director International Advertising Association (IAA) – We’re talking about a contraction of 20% of the TV market, to Euro 40M

  • This rebate is known in the market, both by advertising agencies and TVs. Let’s stop the disaster from happening. We are opened to regulations, but the authority must discuss with us also
  • I can anticipate 2 main dangers. Making a direct contact between TVs and advertising clients, it appears the possibility of intervention on editorial content and attempts of blackmail

Conclusions:

  • Rasvan Popescu – We don’t have the means to follow the financial circuit within the industry, but that doesn’t mean Finance Ministry can’t do that. We don’t have the means to set up some parameters, but that doesn’t mean ANCOM can’t do it.
  • Lorand Turos, CNA member– If we cannot handle these subjects, they shouldn’t be in Audiovisual Law.
  • Ioan Onisei – The harmonization task is, according to the law, the responsibility of the initiator. We must send the most important categories of point of views that were made during today’s debate.
  • Rasvan Popescu – What we can do until now is to tell what we did. We do not have for now an articulated point of view over the entire project. I consider that the public debate should continue and the initiator must consult with the other actors in the market

At its turn, ActiveWatch demands Romanian Government to immediately withdraw the Emergency Ordinance it voted last week, no matter its actual form, and to initiate a public debate with all the interested parties in order to improve the legislative wireframe in audiovisual sector.

Translation provided by AdHugger

Autor: Iulia Bunea iulia.buneapaginademedia.ro
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