Seven TV companies protest media law amendments. The 20 percent air-time limit on retransmission of foreign mass media is of particular concern since most of Kazakhstan's independent TV stations cannot afford to produce enough of their own material. Such a limit, it is feared, would lead to loss of advertising revenue and likely closure of the stations. Journalists are also worried about the requirement that websites register as media outlets. For more information, contact Oleg Katsiev .
Journalists criticise new draft media law.
They object specifically to articles of the draft law that introduce limitations on transmissions by foreign media and stricter controls on publishing Internet newspapers. Norway relaxes anti-pornography movie rules. Norway's film censors lifted a ban on a controversial erotic Japanese movie Monday, relaxing some of the strictest anti-pornography laws in Europe. The film, about an all-consuming love affair in which a woman cuts off her lover's penis, was banned in Norway when a distributor applied for a permit two years ago. Serb Parliament dismantling severe press law.