The bill stipulates that the current licence owners will have to apply for a renewal and that the previous licence owners will have to compete with possible new applicants at an equal standing. Laur pointed out that this may permit the government to deprive an existing and popular station of the licence. The winner of the frequency tender will have to compensate the previous owner s investments and the government will decide the amount, unless the parties reach an agreement. The bill also demands that the TV and radio stations will have to increase their own production to 25 per cent from 20 per month, while the amount of European production will have to be increased to 51 per cent of total. Rein Lang commented that this demand, enforced by the European Union, will deprive the Estonian TV viewers of popular US series, which will be replaced by unpopular European production.
Government approves new broadcasting bill.
According to Culture Minister Jaak Allik, Estonian production will be also include in the 51 per cent. The changeover will take place gradually. The bill does not yet determine the percentage. The Ministry of Finance is seeking to set the appropriate amount. Also, the new broadcasting bill will abolish the requirement that no less than half of a television or radio station must belong to Estonian citizens.