OSCE media representative welcomes establishment of Russian public broadcaster

VIENNA, 17 April 2012 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, welcomed today’s Presidential decree to establish a national public service broadcaster in Russia.

“This is a long-anticipated positive development. By offering pluralistic and objective information to viewers, public service broadcasters can play a vital role in strengthening democracy,” Mijatović said.  “This is why it is important that the governing council of Russia’s public television should be composed of independent persons representing the largest possible spectrum of Russian society,” she said.

“The presidential decree will need to be supplemented by a solid legal framework which will ensure the public broadcaster’s financial and editorial independence. I am ready to provide any assistance to create a modern public broadcaster for the Russian people in line with international best practices”.

Under President Medvedev’s decree, which was issued today, Russia’s public television will be established on 1 January 2013.