Details about Algeria’s audiovisual law

A draft law on audiovisual activity in Algeria stipulates that a regulation authority in charge of organizing the sector will be appointed by senior officials in the State. That would put its credibility and decisions at stake.

Article No 9 of the draft law says the audiovisual regulation authority will include 11 members. Five of them will be chosen by the President, two by the Council of the Nation, two by the People’s National Assembly and two others by the Chairman of the Constitutional Council.

The authority has “all the prerogatives which allow it to control legal conformity of all forms of audiovisual activity practice.  It is in charge of ensuring the freedom of audiovisual activity practice within conditions determined in the law. It also works on promoting “the two national languages and culture, control respect of human dignity and encourage audiovisual programs to promote women’s position.”

The regulation authority will study applications for audiovisual communication services and determine rules about production and programming conditions. It will give its opinion about “any draft or regulatory draft laws about audiovisual activity” and the national strategy for its development.  

The authority will have the prerogative of giving recommendations to develop competition and participating in the determination of Algeria’s position toward international negotiations about radio and TV broadcasting.

The government says it chose to appoint the senior officials rather than electing them because of the “big influence of this kind of communication on public opinion and consciences.”

“The State subsidizes the audiovisual sector to freely ensure the responsibility of a public service in coordination with the society’s legitimate expectations. It takes into consideration opening and modernization requirements which enable national personality to prosper.”

Programs will be licensed if they are diversified, contribute in Arabic and Tamazight languages promotion and social cohesion, respect national defense and security requirements, the country’s economic interests, judicial investigations confidentiality, guidelines and ethics, protect minors and teenagers and broadcast public utility statements.

The draft law stipulates that everyone who owns more than 30 percent of social capital will be fined 500 million centimes fine along with 1 billion centimes fine for operating without license.