Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic - Directorate of Media Rights and Audiovision

The activities of the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic in the field of media and audiovision are performed by the Directorate of Media Rights and Audiovision, which acts in accordance with these activities and generally binging legal regulations.

The Directorate is responsible for the main tasks and objectives of state policy in the field of media and audiovision, drafting legislative proposals, generally binding legal regulations and administrative acts of the Ministry in the field of media and audiovision. It proposes systematic solutions and creates conceptions of development of media and audiovisual environment in the Slovak Republic and coordinates activities in the branch of systematic renewal of audiovisual heritage in the Slovak Republic. Other responsibilities of the Directorate include the conceptual work in the field of radio and television broadcasting, press and audiovision. The Directorate submits the proposals of substantial long-term and prospective conceptions, it oversees development tendencies in this field and prepares background materials, opinions and decisions in the field of regulation of electronic media and the protection of minors, it analyzes the situation in the particular branch and deals with opinions and analyses to suggestions, proposals and ideas which arise from professional bodies and the public.

In co-operation with the Directorate General of International Co-operation, the Directorate presents conceptual proposals and background materials to international cultural agreements, it cooperates in drafting of proposals and ideas for international cooperation, in preparation of international events of national importance, it participates in the work of contact and management committees, expert groups of the European Commission and the Council of the European Union in the field of audiovision and media and other expert groups. The Directorate administrates the statistical survey in the field of radio and television broadcasting, audiovision and press. Through these statistical reports data are gathered on the scope of broadcasting, the regional coverage and the nature of programme service, details of the original audiovisual works, the export of movies, the extent and types of works distributed to cinemas, video and DVD rentals, data on activity and production of cinemas, film clubs, DVD and video rentals as well as data on the frequency of issuing newspapers and journals, the language the press is published in, the territorial scope of issuing, content targeting and the target group for press. According to the Act No. 343/2007, Coll. on Conditions of Registration, Public Distribution and Storage of Audiovisual works, Sound and Picture Recordings of Artistic Performances and Multimedia works and on Amendment and Supplementation of Certain Acts (referred to as „Audiovisual Act“), the Directorate is also responsible for the evidence of Slovak audiovisual works, sound recordings of artistic performances and multimedia works and it keeps records of people engaged in audiovision, too. According to the Act No. 167/2008 Coll. on Periodicals and Agency News Service and on Amendment and Supplementation of Certain Acts (referred to as „the Press Act“), the Directorate is responsible for evidence of periodic press. The Directorate General regularly receives and stores copies of periodic press, which according to the Act No. 212/1997 Coll., on Obligatory Copies of Periodical Publications, Non-periodical Publications and Duplicates of Audiovisual Works, are submitted by publishers to the Ministry. On its website, the Ministry publishes a list including Slovak audiovisual works, multimedia works, sound recordings of artistic performances and data on people working in the field of audiovision as well as a list of periodic press.