MEDIA in Slovakia have at their disposal a relatively good legislative environment, but problems arise with the interpretation of media laws, according to Pavol Múdry, the head of the Slovak arm of the International Press Institute. However, he adds, courts remain a problem for media.
“We have some of the best media legislation that I know,” Múdry told the SITA newswire. “The law on print media and newswires is actually of good quality; maybe the law on broadcasting and retransmission should be refined in terms of the powers of the council.”
In Múdry’s opinion the copyright law needs a revision, too, as its current wording creates problems for the media when collecting news and information published in other media.
He sees many more problems existing between media and the courts.
A bad example has been set, “and nowadays anybody sitting in a more important chair wants to make money from media by suing them,” Múdry said. “This is completely unacceptable.”
Múdry believes that a press council with powers granted by law would prevent many such lawsuits. According to him, if we decide to respect such a council and the council announces to the public via the media the unethical sins of specific media, then the situation would be different. The current Press Council lacks powers and respect, according to Múdry.
