At the session of the Management board of the Public RTV system of BiH, held on 20th of March, 2009. in Sarajevo, there has been adopted a Project of digitalization of micro-wave connections of public RTV services of BiH, has been notified from the RTV BiH.
The project, which preparation has included a joint professional team of public emitters, will be delivered to the Council of Ministers of BiH, in harmonization with the conclusion of this authority from February 5th, 2009.
The Management board has concluded that the existing transfer network of public RTV services is old and has been based on analog technology, and that the whole sector of communications, including the public electronic media as well, has been faced with challenges of technological development and digitalization as an eliminatory condition for an access to the European market, or joining of BiH to the European telecommunications and media system.
Digitalization of micro-wave links for transfer of radio and TV signals is an obligation of not only the Member States of the EU, but of all national radio-diffusions in Europe as well.
The process of digitalization of micro-wave connections has also been finished in countries of region, which is an additional reason for BiH to decisively go into realization of the Strategy of transfer from analog to digital land radio-diffusion, whose first phase is a digitalization of connections.
The Management board expresses its expectations that the Council of Ministers of BiH will by taking into consideration the international obligations and deadlines, ensure the required assumptions for a priority digitalization, by including the issue of financing in harmonization with the adopted Policy of sector for emitting as well.
The competent authorities and employers of public emitters will also confirm their financial possibilities, and organizational and staff obligations in realization of the Project of digitalization of connections.
The Management board of the Public RTV system of BiH has on 20th of March, 2009. adopted the Decision on harmonizing of height of the RTV tax with the official rate of inflation in BiH in 2008., as it has been stipulated by the Paragraph 8. and 22. of the Law on Public RTV System in BiH.
In respect to that, height of the RTV tax, instead of the previous 6.7 KM will be 6.95 KM. New price of the RTV tax will be applied from March this year, not depending on the way the payment is being done, by the telecom operator or other similar services.
Management board points out on the significance of further strengthening of system of payment of the RTV tax, because it significantly influences the ability of public electronic media to fulfill their role in society.
Financial stability is an important pre-condition for building of professional and independent public services in BiH.
Management board has supported the initiative for drafting the project of applicable satellite program for Diaspora, whose bearer would in accordance to the Law be the BHRT, and in which would by the program participate entity emitters – RTV FBiH and RTRS. Applicable satellite program implies strengthening of total palette of program offer and affirmation of domestic production in harmonization with the mission of public service and valid European standards.
Defining the applicable satellite program will be given to a joint expert team, and the project will after verification in the Management board be delivered to the Council of Ministers of BiH in an aim of ensuring the financial support, reports portal ekapija.