Skopje, 13.01.2016 – The Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services wishes to remind the media that the required percentage of broadcast originally created programme in the Republic of Macedonia in the Macedonian language or the language of the non-majority communities living in the Republic of Macedonia increases in 2016. As stipulated in Article 92, Paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Law on Audio and Audiovisual Media Services, starting from 1 January 2016, the obligation to broadcast originally created programme is 50 % and 60 % of the total of broadcast programme during one day and night for the trade broadcasting companies and non-profit broadcasting institutions and the Public Broadcasting Services, respectively, excluding the time dedicated to the contents that are not subject to classification.
Also, the Agency wishes to stress that, according to the Law, there are NO changes in the quota for broadcasting, instrumental, vocal and/or vocal-instrumental music in the Macedonian language or the languages of the ethnic communities in the Republic of Macedonia. With the televisions, the obligation remains for the trade broadcasting companies to broadcast at least 8 hours, and for the Public Broadcasting Service – at least 14 hours during the week. With the radios, the obligation is calculated based on the total hours of music broadcast throughout the day and night, and is 40 % for the trade broadcasting companies and non-profit radios, and 50 for the MRT public broadcaster.