Danko: RTVS Isn't Long-term Sustainable Model

Bratislava, April 24 (TASR) - Public-service broadcaster Radio and Television Slovakia (RTVS) isn't a long-term sustainable model, said Parliamentary Vice-chair and coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) leader Andrej Danko after the government approved the law on Slovak Television and Radio (STVR) on Wednesday. "Something must be done about the deep socialism that rules at RTVS," stated Danko. He objected to the sum of money that the state provides to the broadcaster. He also criticized RTVS for the low profits from advertising. According to Danko, there's a need to improve the broadcaster's financing and talk about the number of its employees. He also questioned the public-service nature of the broadcast content. Danko expects "madness" during the parliamentary debate on the bill. Concerning reservations about the proposed increase in the share of advertising in the public-service television and radio, parliamentary culture committee head Roman Michelko (SNS) pointed out that it will still be only a quarter of what the commercial television channels have. He finds it legitimate for the public-service broadcaster to gain more advertising space. "It will definitely maintain its public-service character," he said. Commercial breaks should only be between individual programmes. "They definitely won't interrupt films," stressed Michelko. He only admitted exception in case of sports broadcasts. In line with the bill approved by the government on Wednesday, public-service broadcaster Radio and Television of Slovakia should be renamed Slovak Television and Radio (STVR). The director will be elected by a nine-member council including four nominees from the Culture Ministry. ko/mcs