Censorship tightens: Avtoradio faces threats of closing
- 5.10.2009, 12:03
Avtoradio got an official warning of the Ministry of Information, signed by minister Uladzimir Rusakevich, for “failure to adhere to creative concept”.
As BelaPAN learnt from Avtoradio director Yury Bazan, on September 29, the Ministry of Information asked for audio files of the programme “EuroZOOM” of September 28 and justification of its launching.
Bazan explained that the concept and content of “EuroZOOM” were coordinated with and approved by the European Commission within the frames of its current policy towards Belarus. European Radio for Belarus prepares the material for the programme in Warsaw, the programme is broadcasted on Avtoradio. The one-hour programme was broadcasted on Avtoradio since June 1 weekly and since September 1 – daily, expect for weekends.
On September 30, the radio station leadership got a warning saying “the monitoring of the air revealed “lack of correspondence to the broadcasting concept regarding the volume of self-produced programmes and its themes”.
Avtoradio was ordered to “take measures to restore adhering to the broadcasting concept by October 1”. In other case, the licence of the radio can be annulled or suspended p to one month by the Republican Commission on TV and Radio Broadcasting.
On October 1, Avtoradio addressed the Ministry of Information asking to explain which programme fails to adhere to the broadcasting concept and what was “the lack of correspondence”.
Bazan said the programme “EuroZOM” was suspended since October 1, because the ministry asked to send file of this programme for monitoring. According to him, 50 per cent of the programme is music. EuroZOOM consists of 10-minute news, interviews, and reports.
On October 2, the radio station sent a request to Rusakevich asking to consider a possibility of broadcasting “EuroZOOM”, as this “allows finding additional result in relations with the European Commission and increasing the political image of Belarus in Europe and in the world.” A copy of a letter about the support of the programme by executive bodies of the EC signed by the head of the representative office of the European Commission in Minsk Jean-Eric Holzapfel was attached to the request.
The Electronic Mass Media Department of the Ministry of Information refused to comment on the situation.
Lawyer of the Belarusian Association of Journalists Andrei Bastunets noted that “the state mustn’t interfere with creative activity of the mass media if it doesn’t violate the law.” He thinks ungrounded refusals deprive the mass media of a possibility to defend their rights in court.
The BAJ lawyer said the recent actions of the Ministry of Information arouse concern: several titles were refused registration.