INFORMATION MINISTRY KEEPS TRACK OF FM RADIO NEWS

The Information Ministry ordered heads of all FM radio stations to send in full texts of their news-blocks and play lists in the end of each working day. The materials are to be collected and analyzed by the Chief Analytical Department of the Information Ministry. The Ministry explains its actions by the need to execute Ruling of the President # 516 of September 24, 2001.

On 7 June the Minister met heads of all FM radio stations, where he informed them about the new rules. BAJ learned about that from Dzmitry Konanaw, leading specialist of the Chief Analytical Department, whose duty is to collect and analyze the broadcast materials of FM stations.
According to Konanaw, the purpose of the new rule is to control, whether the radio stations follow the Belarusian legislation. Primarily, it deals with the Ruling of the President #516 of September 24, 2001 “About improving the system of the national bodies of state governing and other state organizations, subordinate to the Government of the Republic of Belarus”. (By the way, this ruling also re-organized the State Committee on Press into Information Ministry). According to Konanaw, his function is to track the contents of FM-programs and to examine whether there were any violations made. Earlier the Ministry examined the broadcasting of commercial radio stations randomly, but it did not have any possibilities to organize a regular control. Meanwhile, Konanaw says “there are many things happening on the air. Sometimes it is necessary to have proofs available”.
According to the official, the Ministry had not tracked any violations yet, although not all FM stations heads follow the Minister’s ruling and send materials to the Ministry. Konanaw ensured BAJ that during the meeting “none of the heads expressed disagreement” with the new rules.