The Lithuanian Communications Regulatory Authority (RRT) has decided to deregulate the country’s broadcasting markets – broadcast transmission and broadcast transmission media services – and to cancel the obligations applicable to the Lithuanian Radio and Television Centre and Telia Lietuva.
According to Jurte Soviene, chairwoman of the RRT Council, “As the market structure changes, the number of service providers grows and the number of alternatives increases, such as the development of internet radio and television, broadcast markets become competitive. As a result, there is no longer a reason to regulate these markets”.
RRT says it has been analysing the competitive environment in broadcasting markets since 2005. After conducting the last research on the market of broadcast transmission services and means of transmission of broadcasts, it determined that competition in broadcast markets is effective and canceled the established obligations for Telia Lietuva and the Lithuanian Radio and Television Centre to provide access to broadcast transmission service providers, ensure non-discriminatory conditions, transparency, price controls and cost accounting and accounting separation. Both of these service providers provided regulated broadcasting services over DTT networks to commercial TV stations so that viewers could see TV channels such as LNK and TV3, while the Lithuanian Radio and Television Centre provided regulated access to the necessary infrastructure, such as TV towers, radio and Tv for broadcast providers.
RRT’s decisions to deregulate broadcasting markets come into effect on June 1. After the expiration of the contracts, the participants of the broadcast markets will operate under free market conditions and will be able to agree on the terms of service provision themselves.
Soviene added: “In the absence of regulation, the parties will be able to more flexibly agree on solutions acceptable to both parties, taking into account individual needs. If the market participants fail to reach an agreement, they have the right to apply to the RRT with a request to examine the dispute in a mandatory preliminary out-of-court procedure”.