OAK risks media involvement in funding law

The requirement for the media sector to be included under the Law for Sponsorisation, improved legal infrastructure for this sector, and the failure to function the Law on the Rights of the Author was the purpose of meeting representatives of the Kosovo Age of Afarism and media representatives with Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Vlora Dumiti.

During this meeting, it was discussed the difficulties facing the media sector as a result of pandemic.

According to one communique, the OAK raised the importance of media involvement under the Sponsorisation Law, which as such would greatly help media sector businesses.

“initiation of meeting this law by adding article to the current law, not only is it necessary, but it is also a great help because media involvement in this law would influence this sector to stay better financially, will be independent and will have very powerful media. The serious situation in this sector, the lack of legal infrastructure adjustment, the lack of IP addresses and domain for Kosovo, as well as irregular marketing rose among other things at this” meeting, the communiqué said.

Dardan Belegg, representative of RTV Dukagini, highlighted the difficulties media have been through during this period and operations out of schedule, making the media in a difficult financial position, so supporting them through this law had to be a relief to this sector.

Zekirija Shabanaj and Ilir Mirena representatives from the online media stressed the importance of setting the correct criteria and conditions that the media must meet during the census at the KPM, in order to become their filtering and the difference between serious and unserious media.

Minister Dhumosh thanked for the meeting and expressed openness for co-operation, stressing that this requirement would be addressed with priorities, organising the working group to see the options in this direction. Dyosh also unveiled the priorities of this dam and the commitments that they are taking to include culture, youth, and sports under the recovery package. Dumosh unveiled that they are planning grants and subsidies on various projects in order to support young people in self-employment.

OAK requires support from all media in supporting their rights for changing an article of this law, considering that the media are in very serious condition, and especially after the beginning of the pandemic, where a large part of businesses and institutions have interrupted or reduced marketing that is the main basis of media revenues.