The law establishing a mandatory share of 75 percent of the total amount for Ukrainian-language content on television was officially published in the Holos Ukrayiny (the Voice of Ukraine) parliamentary newspaper on June 13.
The law enters into force four months from its publication, it said.
The law introduced amendments to the laws ‘On television and radio broadcasting,’ ‘On culture,’ and ‘On general principles of state language policy.’ The law also provides for sanctions against television and radio broadcasters for violating its norms: a fine in the amount of 5 percent of the total amount of the licensing fee.
After the law enters into force, the Ukrainian government shall bring its regulatory and legislative acts into conformity with it within a month.
The law stipulates that programs and films in the state language should account for at least 75 percent of the weekly amount of broadcasting for nation-wide or regional television channels and radio stations in each period of time between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. and between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. The quota for the local television and radio broadcasters was set at 60 percent of programs and films shown in the state language in the same periods of time.
Television channels and radio stations broadcasting in the languages of the indigenous peoples of Ukraine shall ensure a total weekly amount of broadcasting in the state language and the languages of the indigenous peoples of Ukraine in the amount of at least 75 percent, with at least 30 percent in the state language.
On May 23, The Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada adopted the bill in the second reading and in general and submitted it for the president’s signing on May 26. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed the law on June 9.
