O official speaking to journalists, at the end of the presentation session of the book ‘Media Public Service — White Book’, the result of the work carried out by the White Book Commission of the Public Service of Radio and Television, at the Cultural Center of Lisbon (CCB), in Belem.
Pedro Adão e Silva began by highlighting that the White Paper “is very useful” and that it values ”the role of information and knowledge in taking a political position”, but added that the document is not binding “nor exhausts what will be the concession contract” by RTP.
However, the minister indicated that there are issues “that will be fundamental for the new concession contract” of RTP, highlighting “the importance of digital”.
“Either the public media service adapts and transforms in the face of new consumption and the new media offer, or else its future will always be at risk and is a real threat if there is no adaptation”, said Pedro Adão e Silva.
The official also highlighted as fundamental “the centrality of information”.
“The new social context of liberal democracies places an increased need for serious, rigorous, balanced information with distinctive marks, which is what the public service is responsible for presenting”, he stressed.
According to the Minister of Culture, “there is a lot of anachronism both in practices and in the legislative framework and this needs to change, as it is also necessary to change dimensions of the concession contract, even in the way contracts are presented”.
Adão e Silva said that it will be based on the reflection of the White Paper that political decisions will be taken, involving the Independent General Council (CGI) of RTP, the Opinion Council, the Board of Directors and the Regulatory Entity for the Media (ERC) .
The Commission for the White Paper on the public service of radio and television, designated by order of the Government and which has been in office for about four months, having heard more than 100 people and entities, aims to list the challenges of the sector, so as to to precede and prepare the revision of the RTP concession contract.
In addition to coordinator Felisbela Lopes, the commission includes Catarina Burnay, Clara Almeida Santos, Francisco Sena Santos, Jorge Wemans, Rui Romano and Sérgio Gomes da Silva.
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