Film, video and photography
The previous Film Fund of the Republic of Slovenia Act that established this public institution in 1994 for the purpose of implementing the national cultural programme in the sphere of film was replaced by The Slovenian Film Centre, public agency of the Republic of Slovenia Act. Although the legal status has been changed (from public fund to public agency) the purpose remains the same.
Mass media
In June 2001, Slovenia adopted the Law on Media providing rules and regulations for the entire media sphere. It paid regard to the provisions of the aquis communautaire for the media field – Directive on television without frontiers – Council Directive 89/552/EGS and Directive of the European Parliament and Council 97/36/ES – and the Council of Europe – Convention on cross-border television and the Protocol which amends the European Convention on cross-border television. The Act also contains provisions on implementing programme quotas in the programmes of television broadcasters operating under the jurisdiction of the RS.
The Post and Electronic Communications Agency of the RS, is an independent organisation which, in line with the Media Act, Audiovisual Media Services Act and Electronic Communications Act, has responsibilities relating to the functioning and development of telecommunications and the telecommunications market, the use of the radio frequency spectrum and other tasks relating to the set up and monitoring of radio and television activities.
In 2006 the Act Amending the Media Act was adopted under the right wing coalition that introduced an annual call for pluralisation of the media, in the amount of approximately 4 million EUR and media call worth of 2.3 million EUR for programmes of special importance. Both measures have been contested by opposition as bias since the main criteria, i.e. “how balanced they report on politics, especially on ruling parties and opposition” ment in practise that for example in 2007 the biggest subsidy was given to the weekly established by the ruling party. In 2014 under the left wing coalition the amount for both calls decreased to 1.3 million EUR and 0.9 million EUR. In 2011 the Audiovisual Media Services Act was adopted, which transposes the audiovisual media services directive. The Directive amends the Television Without Frontiers Directive in a number of areas including enlargement in scope, advertising rules, advertising “unhealthy” foods and beverages in children’s programmes, and promotes areas including media literacy, co & self regulation, and access for persons with a hearing or visual impairment. The Directive also has a significant cultural dimension and has a major influence on the shape of European broadcasting. This includes provisions in relation to quotas for European programming, short news reporting, rules on the insertion of advertising and the provisions in relation to the designation of certain events as events of major importance to society.
Audiovisual media services act therefore nullifies a part of the Media Act and regulates the following areas:
- protection of children and minors;
- promotion of the distribution and production of european audiovisual works;
- audiovisual commercial communication;
- television advertising and teleshopping; and
- exclusive rights and right to short news reports.
The Radio-Television Slovenia Act determines Radio-Television Slovenia (RTV Slovenia) as a provider of public services in the field of radio and television activities. Radio-television Slovenia is a public institution, which is financed through statutorily determined RTV contributions and advertising.
The Ministry outlined the positive consequences of the RTV Act as follows:
- the financial operation of a public institute is now positive;
- digitalisation of radio-diffusion broadcasting is in a state of successful implementation; and
- the licence payments for RTV have not increased; in fact they have decreased (by an inflation percentage). The new Act has a new provision on exemption for payment of the licence for the socially weakest group (approximately 430 TV subscribers).
See also chapter 2.5.3.
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