The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Media, Francisco Jerónimo, accompanied by the Secretary of State for Media, Merício Juvinal dos Reis “Akara”, paid  a courtesy visit to the public company Radio and Television of Timor-Leste (RTTL-EP), on Thursday, July 2, 2020, to observe the conditions of the public company and listen to the concerns of the leaders of the institution.

The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Media said that “RTTL-EP is a public company that must commit itself to the search for its own revenues in order to sustain the operation of the company”.

“When we talk about Government or State Radio and Television, it means that it is the State that has an obligation to ensure its operation, but when RTTL-EP has become a public company, it means that it is a State media agency that receives a public subsidy from the Government, but that the support for its operation does not depend only on the State and that as a public company it must seek its own revenues in order to be able to sustain itself” , added the Minister.

Regarding the total cost of one million and six hundred thousand U.S. dollars, presented by the President of RTTL-EP, to cover the operation of the public company, Francisco Jerónimo, said that the company and the Government should have equal responsibility and that this amount should be divided into two equal parts, one of them provided by the Government and the other guaranteed by RTTL-EP.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Media also stressed that “now is the time to work and that the Government will look for ways to solve the problem faced by this institution”.

The Secretary of State for Media, Merício Juvinal dos Reis “Akara”, called for the creation of a Newsroom Council for RTTL-EP to help the institution respond to any public concern or complaint related to the publication of news that causes dissatisfaction in the public.

“This Newsroom Council will serve to help you discuss the news that should or should not be published and when there is any challenge you can answer, including in cases where it is the Government that questions something, the Newsroom Council can explain immediately”, stressed the Secretary of State.

Merício Juvinal dos Reis “Akara” also called on RTTL-EP to present the institution’s strategic plan, in which it should indicate the necessary measures to develop the company. He also called for the institution to continue its activities and progress already achieved and for weaknesses to be improved.