PUBLIC HEARING ON BROADCASTING REGULATION
After a public hearing on UNTAET’s draft regulation on broadcasting today in Dili, it was agreed that a period of an additional month is needed for further discussions.
UNTAET presented the draft regulation to the National Consultative Council (NCC) and the public. After the presentation, testimonies were heard from media groups, radio stations and NGOs.
The main questions from the NCC and the chairperson to the expert witnesses concerned the autonomy and the costs of the independent Broadcasting Authority – a main provision of the draft regulation. The other two parts of the draft cover a public broadcasting corporation and licensing requirements.
NCC members were wary that the proposed Broadcasting Authority could be another arm of the Transitional Administration with the Transitional Administrator retaining regulatory control. Questions were also centered on legal implications if the Broadcasting Authority were to impose direct taxes on radio and TV users as provided under the present draft.
There were suggestions from the NCC that a legislation on the Broadcasting Authority be formulated when the new Constituent Assembly comes into place next year. The media groups and NGOs, however, said that the regulation should go ahead in the transitional period with amendments made to it to include greater public consultation.
UNTAET is proposing the regulation to ensure that broadcast media serves the public interest in the territory and that the airwaves of East Timor will not be dominated by any single broadcaster.
