Algeria abolishes state monopoly over audiovisual sector

The draft law on the audiovisual sector in Algeria put forth by the government was adopted with a large majority on Tuesday by the MP’s of the National Popular Assembly after a free-wheeling and sometimes acrimonious debate.

The adopted piece of legislation is yet to be approved by the members of the council of the nation or upper house of parliament before being signed by the President of the Republic himself to become fully effective.

However, most of the deputies belonging to opposition parties voted against the proposed text arguing that the new audiovisual law doesn’t represent a genuine overture.

This law puts an official end to state monopoly over the national audiovisual sector which is characterized currently by the existence of five public TV channels, five national radio channels and 47 local public radio channels.

In so doing, this major sector will now be officially opened to private investment.

An audiovisual pluralism has in fact existed for a year now in Algeria.

In April 2012, the government authorized three private satellite TV channels to open “provisionally” their representations in Algiers.

The three TV channels had started broadcasting their programs since 2011 without waiting for the prior green light from the public authorities.

In early 2014, the government decided to renew the one – year authorization granted to these new private TV channels.

The Communication Minister, Abdelkader Messahel, told the MP’s before the voting session that the opening of the audiovisual field to the private sector was an important evolution in terms of development in Algeria.

Mr Messahel also pointed out that this positive move which comes as part of President Bouteflika’s set of reforms, was also geared to widening and deepening the democratic practice in Algeria through an upgrading of the national media setting.