Draft of RDTL Media Law reported by Parliament Committee A on 2 May 2014
Page 9
Rough translation by La’o Hamutuk. See http://www.laohamutuk.org/misc/MediaLaw/14MediaLaw.htm for original and other materials.
Article 25
Foreign media bodies
1. Bodies of foreign media wishing to distribute or post a correspondent in Timor-Leste have to apply
for registration of their body and accreditation of their correspondent to the Press Council.
2. The Press Council shall issue the correspondent with a professional license.
Article 26
Licensing of frequencies
Radio and television media operate only under licensed frequencies, to be allocated by the National
Communications Authority, which ensures management of the radio spectrum.
Article 27
Formal requirements
1. Print media shall contain on the first page, the publication title, date or periodicity and respective price,
and also, on any inside page, the owner, the board members, the people with editorial responsibility and
the name and address of the registered office of the printer.
2. Radio or television programs shall mention the identification of the means of communication
transmission, the authors and the editorial and technical responsible people.
3. Media have an obligation to preserve a copy of audiovisual materials for six months after publication.
4. Violation of paragraphs 2 and 4 of this Article is an infraction punishable by a fine of $1,000 to
$2,500.
Article 28
Registration
1. Organs and media are subject to registration with the Press Council.
2. Registration is an administrative measure and does not constitute an act of authorization.
3. The Press Council establishes the elements to be included in the registry.
4. Registration must be published in the official gazette (Jornal da República), by the Press Council.
Article 29
Legal deposit
1. Owners of all publications must submit on the day of distribution two copies to the National
Library and the National Archives.
2. Legal deposit aims to enable the creation of a documentary archive, keeping the documentation
so that it can be consulted by interested parties.
Article 30
Disclosure of owners
1. Companies and media should undertake to publicly disclose the identity of their owners or their
associates, partners or co-workers or the corporation which owns them.
2. Disclosure in the preceding paragraph is done at the beginning of each calendar year and
whenever there is any change in ownership of property rights or the composition of the
corporation or its capital.
3. The act of disclosure is published in the Jornal da República and in media organs owned by the
media business.
4. Violation of the provisions of this article an infraction punishable by a fine of $1,000 to $2,500.