The proportion of music played by commercial Slovak radios is to be at least 20 percent of the overall monthly music output as of next year before it's raised further to 25 percent as of 2017, according to a Culture Ministry-proposed amendment to the Broadcasting and Retransmission Act which is to be submitted for inter-ministerial comments. For public-service radio stations, the requirement for home-grown music output will be even higher - 35 percent. According to Culture Minister Marek Maďarič, the only chance for Slovak music content to be aired is by Slovak radio stations. "We can consider it (Slovak music) to be a form of culture and to carry cultural values", said Maďarič. This provides a legitimate reason for the ministry to address the percentage of Slovak songs aired by radio stations.
Prime Minister Robert Fico weighed in, saying that this is a way to foster Slovak identity. He added that he hopes the initiative garners support from artists after the bill has secured political support. The bill is envisaged to be debated by the Government in May and reach Parliament in June - after it goes through the inter-ministerial comments. It is projected to become effective as of January 1, 2016. A number of prominent Slovak musicians have - through the Initiative for Slovak Music - previously called for increasing the ratio of Slovak music on airwaves. Radio stations did, after talks with the ministry, commit to play more Slovak music, but this has failed to bring the desired result, as the ratio of Slovak music content aired by private radio stations continues to hover around 10 percent. This has prompted the ministry to come up with the new act.
For the purpose of the bill, not only songs in Slovak, but any songs authored or performed by former or current citizens of Slovakia or a person with permanent residence in Slovakia will be considered Slovak music. Requirements for similar ratios of national music are, for example, in effect in Poland (33 percent), Hungary (35 percent) and France (40 percent). Comparatively, approximately 90 percent of all music broadcast by Radio Slovakia International is of Slovak origin.
