OSCE Hails Georgia’s Public TV GDP-based Funding
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, welcomed Georgia’s decision to reintroduce public broadcaster’s funding system linked to the country’s GDP.
In December, the Georgian Parliament amended the law on broadcasting, stipulating annual funding of the public broadcaster with no less than 0.12% of the country’s GDP – the scheme, which will go in force from 2011. Georgia had a similar system until 2008, with 0.15% of GDP guaranteed as the broadcaster’s funding. Prime-time advertisements are banned on Georgian public television, except during sport events.
“Georgia had pioneered the GDP-based financing of public television, and I am glad it has returned to this method, albeit with a lesser amount guaranteed. I see this as an affirmation of the principle that television must be exempt from government influences,” Miklos Haraszti said in a statement in which he also welcomed Spain’s reform of public broadcaster’s funding system.
“Along with a similar reform in France already in motion, the Spanish and the Georgian financing ideas demonstrate new, innovative ways to secure public-service broadcasting as an essential institution of democracy,” he added.
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