The Ukrainian regulator (National Council) has been empowered to impose fines on broadcasters and programme service providers for violating industry regulations.
This follows an amendment to the Radio and TV Law that has come into effect on Wednesday, November 30.
The fines can amount to 5%, 10% or 25% of the offenders’ licence fee, depending on the severity of the violations, with the largest ones being imposed regardless of whether an offender had previously been issued with a warning.
In the case of broadcasters, offences include calling for the violent change of the constitutional system of Ukraine; incitement to national, racial or religious enmity and hatred; and propaganda of exclusivity, superiority or inferiority.
For programme service providers, on the other hand, the offence would be to retransmit programming deemed by the National Council to not comply with the laws of Ukraine (Article 42).
The amended law was passed by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine November 1 and signed by country’s president on November 25.
