Finance Minister Will Ensure Satellite Broadcasts

Minister of Finance Bjarni Benediktsson told reporters he will make sure RÚV will still be able to make satellite broadcasts, despite their concerns that they lack the funds to continue financing it.

RÚV told Fréttablaðið this morning that they would discontinue satellite broadcasting as of July 1, as their strained budget would not allow their continuation. This decision would have presented great difficulties to Icelanders working at sea, living in more remote parts of the countryside, and Icelanders living abroad.

However, Minister of Finance Bjarni Benediktsson is having none of that, saying that he will ensure that satellite broadcasting will continue uninterrupted, given its importance to so many.

“For this reason, we are all in agreement that funding for this service must be secured,” he told reporters. “We consider it a basic aspect of RÚV’s service to provide broadcasting to seamen, and people living in sensitive areas.”

Where the money will come from is another matter entirely. Bjarni told reporters that formal talks on the matter have not yet begun, and paid subscriptions could even be an option.

“We will find a way, but in the short term, the main point is that this service isn’t cancelled,” he said.