The Association of Information -Communication technologies reacted to today’s press conference by the Macedonian Media Association of Private National televisions (MMA) during which they accused the operators for piracy and broadcasting a program without regulated copyrights and they are unfair competition.
“We condemn the unfounded accusations expressed by MMA members: Sitel, telma, Kanal 5, Alfa, and Alsat- M at today’s press conference. With full responsibility we claim that all programs that are part of operators’ packages are in accordance with the domestic and foreign regulation for re-broadcasting programs. All insinuations for the operators’ participation in pirating are rejected as untrue and unproven. For these claims, out members will take measures. All contracts for re-broadcasting with foreign broadcasters have guarantees that these televisions have regulated copyrights in Macedonia” said the members of the IKT.
According to the operators, the demands from the five TV broadcasters to impose restrictions for foreign TV channels by law in order to be re-broadcasted means a direct violation of the Directive for re-broadcasting and the Directive for Tv without borders, and is an attempt for imposing censorship.
“MMA’s stance celarly indicates that the motives and the final goal for such quick passing of Amendments of the Law of Audio and Audio-Visual Services was the pressure to use this Law to decrease the channels that will be re-broadcasted in Macedonia” said the press release.
