Taking into account the specific position of the media in the conditions of a declared state of emergency due to the coronavirus, their socially responsible role to inform in these conditions as well as the possible consequences on their economic operations, in addition to this, provided financial assistance – a donation to deal with the consequences of the coronavirus ( COVID-19), in a total amount of 105,000,000.00 (one hundred and five million) denars. The largest part of the funds, or 103,000,000.00 denars, is allocated to the broadcasters, namely: 73,000,000.00 denars to the broadcasters (commercial and non-profit to which the license fee for 2019 and 2020 will be refunded) and 30,000,000.00 denars are allocated to the Public Broadcasting Service “Macedonian Radio Television”. These funds are allocated for the protection of their employees through the purchase of protective equipment, for costs related to the production, purchase and broadcast of the program, for the remediation of the negative consequences on their economic operation due to the coronavirus and enabling their smooth functioning. In addition, MKD 1,000,000.00 each are allocated to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Health, intended for measures and activities to protect their employees through the purchase of protective equipment and the purchase of other equipment and funds necessary to carry out the activities of The ministries of prevention, prevention of spread and dealing with the consequences of the coronavirus.
In addition, the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services regularly sends educational videos from the Ministry of Health related to the facts about and protection against the virus to all broadcasters for them to broadcast for free.
Along with the set of measures, AVMU called on all media to report professionally and responsibly and to provide the public with accurate, timely and objective information by complying with the law on audio and audiovisual media services and complying with the Guidelines for safe and professional reporting about the coronavirus (COVID-19) at SEMM and ZNM.
