Deputies ask for more public and social control and for space for independent production

On the last 17th December, the Committee on Science and Technology, Communication and Information Technology approved the submitting of suggestions to the Executive Power to the renewal of grants of radio and TV broadcasts. At the indication sent to the Ministry of Communication, the Deputy Luiza Erundina (PSB-SP), suggested the addition to new clauses at the annex to the Decree 88.066/83, which regulates the concessions.
The new clauses require:

- Mechanisms establishing more rigid controls on the fulfilling of the rules on property and – on contractual obligations of radiobroadcast.
- Compliance with constitutional devices regarding Social Communication and the rules of the indicative classification;
- Control of cross-property;
- Establishment of minimum quotas for educative, journalistic, independently or regionally produced programs;
-Establishment of viewers’ and listeners’ councils, who will periodically release critical analyses on the programs produced by the TV and radio broadcasts; and
- Maintenance of tax regularity during all the course of the concession.

The new rules should be included in the contracts of the broadcasts whose concessions are being renewed.

Sub-committee
According to the deputy, all suggestions are present in the final report of the Special Sub-Committee on Grants and Concessions of Radiobroadcast, presided by her. The committee operated from 2007 to 2008 and closed its works some weeks ago, in December.
The report of the Deputy Maria do Carmo Lara (PT-MG), approved at the last meeting of the collegiate, proposed several amendments on the legislation for the communication sector, increasing the transparency of the concession procedure for the establishment of new radio and TV channels.
Among the suggestions, there are two proposals to amend Constitution, which change the rules of concessions of radio and TV. The first one forbids any person holding elective positions to own a radio or TV broadcast, the second allows the canceling or impeachment of the Grant of broadcasts without the need of judicial decisions.