Recent agreements and forms of association are taking place between the various actors in the field including film producers, television stations and distributors. The main goal of theses agreements is to ensure both diversity and viability of productions.
RTP, the state TV channel, offers public TV and radio channels for the international and African Portuguese-speaking community (RTP-I was set up in 1992). In addition, there are two general interest private terrestrial channels. The licence for the fifth terrestrial channel is now in legal dispute. The new Digital Terrestrial System (to which existing channels will migrate) is due to be fully implemented in 2012.
The Television Law (Law 27/2007) stipulates that at least 50% of the air time must be allocated to broadcast Portuguese language programmes and at least 20% for creative works in Portuguese – in both cases, non-Portuguese lusophone productions must not exceed 25% of air time. Thereafter, preference should be given to European productions, with at least 10% allocated to recent productions (of less than 5 years old) by independent European producers. Broadcasters are required to submit, to the Regulatory Authority (ERC – Entidade Reguladora da Comunicação Social), all the information required to monitor compliance with these obligations.
The Radio Law (Law 4/2001, as amended by Law 7/2006) commits broadcasters to an annual minimum quota for the dissemination of Portuguese music. This minimum quota varies annually from 25 and 40% of musical programming on each channel. However, it is stipulated that at least 60% of that quota must be fulfilled with music composed / sung in the Portuguese Language by citizens of the EU; and at least 35% of the same quota must be fulfilled with music produced in the last 12 months. The Regulatory Authority (ERC – Entidade Reguladora da Comunicação Social) is responsible for monitoring and controlling this law enforcement.
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