No. 8

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Parliament and Broadcasting

18 December 2003

Studies

RiTo No. 8, 2003

  • Gunnar Paal

    Riigikogu press secretary, educational sciences candidate

Direct and balanced information on the activity of state institutions on radio, TV and other media allows public opinion to be shaped as objectively as possible, conveying politicians’ views in detail in their proper context. The best prospects of increasing trust in state authority are considered to lie in informational broadcasts on public broadcasting. 57% of Estonians consider this to be the case.

Analyzing the growth trends and needs of Estonian society, international practice involving parliamentary coverage, the duties of public broadcasting and programming opportunities, it can be concluded that it would be very important to discuss and work out basic ideas for parliamentary coverage and programming, proceeding from Estonia’s needs and opportunities. It would be logical for public television and radio to cover the discussions of vital state issues as they unfold in the Riigikogu and important issues such as the budget, economic policy, social policy, foreign policy, information hour, and interpolations. If the programming policy is flexible, it will naturally be possible to make more thorough video recordings of legislative sessions.

Considering Estonia’s opportunities and practice, it will be useful to direct more attention at coverage of issues that are important on a state level. This would be the most effective way to raise the reliability rating of parties, the Riigikogu and the media itself. Therefore it would be useful to specify in the public broadcasting plan of activity what the role of these organizations might be in conveying the business of state institutions to the public.

Full article in Estonian

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