Television channels to broadcast at least 50% of their programmes in Romanian from 1 January 2027

Viewers will have access to more programmes in Romanian and a larger share of TV services in Romanian in distributors’ offerings, starting on 1 January 2027. According to the Ministry of Culture, Parliament has adopted legislative amendments setting new quotas and increasing the share of local music on music television channels and radio stations.

What is changing for television and distributors’ offerings?

TV channels will have to ensure that at least 50% of their programmes between 06:00 and 24:00 are in Romanian. This quota will also include programmes dubbed or voiced over in Romanian.

Distributors will have to include at least 60% television services in Romanian in their offerings, up from the current 50%. The Ministry of Culture notes that exceptions apply to communities where ethnic minorities are in the majority, but does not detail the conditions for these exceptions.

What quotas are planned for local productions?

Certain categories of media services will be required to allocate at least 5% of their weekly broadcasting time to works produced by independent producers from the Republic of Moldova. The information published by the Ministry of Culture does not specify which categories this requirement applies to.

Music television channels and radio stations will have to broadcast more music by local composers and artists. The quota will be 20%, up from 10%, doubling the required share.

What other areas do the amendments cover?

The legislative amendments also include provisions on the protection of minors and access to media services for persons with disabilities. They also cover the organisation and operation of the regional public broadcaster Gagauziya Radio Televizionu (GRT).

The Ministry of Culture presents the alignment of audiovisual legislation with European standards as one of the objectives of the amendments. The new regulations are due to take effect on 1 January 2027.