On June 11, 2019, the Audiovisual Media Authority (AMA) organized a round table to discuss over the digitization process and the financial compensation procedure in the context digital switchover.
Representatives of local/regional operators, representatives of Radio and Television Broadcasting Association (RRTL), as well as representatives of the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Public Information Means were present in this round table.
The purpose of this meeting was to discuss about the extent, compensation method, management procedure and payment of financial compensation to existing local/regional operators, pursuant to the Law No. 34/2017, dated 30
.03.2017, on “Digital Dividend”, as amended.
AMA’s Deputy Chairperson, Mr. Sami Nezaj thanked, in his welcoming speech, the present operators and pointed out that AMA is committed to support local/regional operators for their concerns regarding the implementation of the Law No. 34/2017, “Digital Dividend”, as amended. Thus, he made them sure that they could present in this round table their problems not only those related to the compensation process but also beyond, including the analog switch-off process, in general.
Mr. Dritan Xhelili, AMA’s Head of Cabinet, stressed the importance of partial compensation process for operators, their supporting fee in the digital network, by highlighting its direct impact on the support to local/regional private operators that are closer to local communities and could represent better the values of pluralism of thoughts.
The problem of reviewing the supporting fee in digital network of public operator was discussed in this meeting. The fee is based on current spending incurred for the operation of ARTV network.
The participants in the meeting claimed that the Law 34/2017 is silent about a remedy to the financial damage the local/regional operators suffered, that their investments made over the years were not taken into consideration in the drafting of this Law. They also criticized the total amount of compensation for this category.
The discussion went on with debates on the implementation of the Law No. 34/2017, on “Digital Dividend”, as amended.
However, AMA will continue to work closely with all Media Service Providers, in order to guarantee a successful finalization of the digital broadcasting switchover all over the country.
Audiovisual Media Authority
June 11, 2019
