08 December 2015, 11:17
The legislative act creates legal grounds for the organization and defines objectives and functions of public overseas broadcast of Ukraine, the basic principles of activities of public overseas broadcast entities aimed to protect the national interests of Ukraine abroad, create and maintain positive image of Ukraine in the world by prompt and objective informing on the events in Ukraine, official internal and foreign policy and position of the country, activities of central government and local self-government bodies.
According to the Law, "the system of public overseas broadcast of Ukraine consists of the state-owned enterprise "Ukraine Overseas Broadcast Multimedia Platform" and the Ukrainian National News Agency "Ukrinform."
Legal entities forming part of the system of public overseas broadcast of Ukraine may create in its structure separate subdivisions - public correspondent bureaus to fulfill the tasks imposed on the public overseas broadcast, as well as to provide consultations and other services to representatives of foreign mass media staying in Ukraine on legal grounds for the purpose of professional activity in the field of mass information.
In order to protect the national interests of Ukraine abroad, create and maintain positive image of Ukraine in the world through prompt and objective informing on the events in Ukraine, official internal and foreign policy and position of the country, activities of state government and local self-government bodies a state-owned enterprise called Ukraine Overseas Broadcast Multimedia Platform has been founded.
The Law
establishes principles of public overseas broadcast and guarantees for
independence of entities of the public overseas broadcast.
The document stipulates that public overseas broadcast entities conduct their
activity in compliance with the following principles:
1)
freedom of opinions, thoughts and beliefs;
2) aligning with general objectives of the foreign policy of Ukraine,
international standards and contractual duties of Ukraine;
3) non-interference in internal policy of the countries whose territory is
covered by the public overseas broadcast of Ukraine;
4) independence of editorial policy of entities of public overseas broadcast of
Ukraine from state government bodies, local self-government bodies, their
officials and employees, political parties, enterprises, institutions,
organizations, and individuals;
5) highest professional standards of journalism;
6) reliability of information, clear separation of facts from comments and
assessments;
7) transparency and openness of the activities;
8) non-discrimination on any ground;
9) respect for moral, religious, ideological and philosophical beliefs of the
audience.
The Law prohibits central government and local self-government bodies, their officials and employees, and NGOs from interfering in the activities of entities of the public overseas broadcast in order to impose censorship, preliminary control or illegal influence on the content of information broadcasted by entities of the public overseas broadcast of Ukraine.
The Law foresees that programme products of the Overseas Broadcast Company (INTU) are produced in English and in other languages where there is point in using this or that language.
The document stipulates that "in the entire volume of INTU broadcast at least 50 percent of the programmes should be produced in English."
According to the Law, the State ensures proper funding of the system of public overseas broadcast, separately envisaged in the state budget, and constituting not less then 0.06% of expenditures of the general fund of the state budget in the previous year.
The Law was adopted as amended.
Respective draft law was registered under No. 2334a.