Contract on the provision of public services in radio and television broadcast (The "Contract with the State")
This contract has been concluded to establish a framework for the systematic promotion and development of public services in radio and television broadcasting involving:
- the making and production of new, original works in the public interest,
- the public dissemination of such programmes as part of a public broadcasting service,
- the modernisation of the technological infrastructure for the production and broadcasting of new, original programmes in the public interest and
- broadcasting to other countries.
By concluding this contract, the parties (the Slovak Republic represented by the Ministry and Radio and Television Slovakia (hereinafter also “RTVS”)) declared that they consider the promotion of the making, production, broadcasting and preservation of Slovak audio-visual and cinematographic works to be an integral part of public broadcasting services and an integral part of the cultural heritage of the Slovak Republic. RTVS has an essential role in the sustainable development of audio-visual culture in view of its historical, cultural, social and economic status. Provision for such development involving the use of public funds and cooperation with RTVS and other audio-visual organizations will contribute to the public interest in broadcasting and the development of audio-visual culture and industries in Slovakia and advance the values of humanism, ethics and education.
The implementation into practice of the “contract with the state” in the Slovak Republic in 2010 was described in the first periodic report. In 2012 the parties concluded a new framework contract for the period 2013 to 2014 (Contract No MK - 138/2012/M on provision for public interest services in radio and television broadcasting in the period 2013–2017). The parties agree on the precise and binding scope and nature of their mutual obligations under this contract for each year by means of addenda to the contract. The addendum is always concluded for a period of one calendar year. Based on the addendum, the Ministry pays RTVS the agreed sum for the given year for the following purposes:
- the programming obligations of RTVS, the content of which is the making of new, original radio programmes in the public interest and new, original television programmes in the public interest; the programming obligations are always specified in detail in the addendum for the given calendar year.
- specific investment projects set out in the addendum for the given calendar year and
- broadcasting by RTVS to foreign countries by the radio channel Radio Slovakia International, which broadcasts via satellite and the internet at least 30 minutes per day in Slovak, English, German, French, Russian and Spanish.
Since 2013, the addendum to the contract with the state includes areas of special interest of state support in the given calendar year and the minimum percentage of the funds provided for implementation of programming obligations that will be used for the making of new, original programmes in the public interest in each area of special state interest. The addendum for 2013 laid down the following areas of special interest for state support:
Every year, the financial contribution paid to RTVS under the contract with the state is used to produce television programmes that are mostly not of interest to the commercial sector and but which contribute to the fulfilment of service to the public in radio and television broadcasting. Funds contributed by the state are also used to make radio and television programmes for members of national minorities and religious programmes. The making of new, original programmes in the public interest in areas of special state interest serve the interests of minority viewers and promote the national culture. Quality can be assured in such activities by renovating the technological infrastructure of the public broadcaster. Without state support radio broadcasts to other countries would probably cease. This indicates that the measure clearly contributes to support for access to the national culture and minority culture and promotes the development of cultural diversity in Slovak radio and television broadcasting.
In 2012 RTVS was paid EUR 10,000,000 under the contract with the state to implement programming obligations in television broadcasting, EUR 3,000,000 to implement programming obligations in radio broadcasting and EUR 1,000,000 for radio broadcasting to other countries. The state did not provide any funds to RTVS for specific investment projects this year.
In 2013 RTVS was paid EUR 19,931,932 under the contract with the state to implement programming obligations in television broadcasting, EUR 3,000,000 to implement programming obligations in radio broadcasting, EUR 1,000,000 for radio broadcasting to other countries and EUR 5,000,000 for specific investment projects.
In 2014 RTVS was paid EUR 19,138,000 under the contract with the state to implement programming obligations in television broadcasting, EUR 3,000,000 to implement programming obligations in radio broadcasting, EUR 1,000,000 for radio broadcasting to other countries and EUR 1,500,000 for specific investment projects.
In 2015 RTVS was paid EUR 20,933,842 under the contract with the state to implement programming obligations in television broadcasting, EUR 3,300,000 to implement programming obligations in radio broadcasting, EUR 1,000,000 for radio broadcasting to other countries and EUR 5,000,000 for specific investment projects.
Each addendum for a particular budget year is evaluated separately by means of accounts for provided funds which RTVS is obliged to submit to the Ministry each year and a substantive and financial check of these accounts performed by the Ministry. As part of the evaluation the Ministry checks RTVS’s fulfilment of its obligations under the contract with the state and the addendums for particular budget years.