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Can the public find out who owns the media through free access to the essential information required? The public in Macedonia are able to find out who owns broadcast media via the ownership reporting obligations under the Law on Broadcasting Activity. All the essential information outlined above must be disclosed to the Broadcasting Council and made public via its website. Macedonia is unusual in banning silent shareholders of broadcasters (ie secret ownership or ownership by proxy): this means that all beneficial shareholders must be declared. The same law also requires broadcasters to report ownership information directly to the public but

Can the public find out who owns the media through free access to the essential information required? It is not possible to find out who owns print, online or broadcast media in Luxembourg through media-specific or company laws. The Law on the Electronic Media, which covers broadcast and online media, does not specifically set out ownership disclosure obligations but does allow the possibility that ownership information can be requested for all forms of electronic media which require a licence. This is via the “book of obligations” which is attached to each licence or permit granted by Luxembourg . For example,

Can the public find out who owns the media through free access to the essential information required? In Latvia, information on ownership of the media is not available to the public; neither media-specific nor company laws require disclose to the public sufficient information for ultimate owners to be identified. The Law on the Press and Other Mass Media which covers print, online and broadcast media, requires the media to register with the Commercial Register and to disclose ownership information to the Commercial Register according to the provisions of the Commercial Law. The information to be disclosed includes most of the

Can the public find out who owns the media through free access to the essential information required? Neither media-specific nor corporate law reveal information on ownership of media outlets in Italy. Law No. 249 of 31 July 1997, which establishes the communication authority (AGCOM) and covers print, online and broadcast media, requires different levels disclosure depending on whether a media outlet is a registered company or not, with more stringent reporting requirements for those which are. For example the name and contact details of the owner only need be disclosed for media which are registered companies and more detailed information

Can the public find out who owns the media through free access to the essential information required? Despite the 2011 amendments to the Media Law, which covers print, broadcast and online media, it remains impossible to identify ownership of any media in Iceland through media-specific or company law. Although the amended Media Law requires disclosure of the immediate ownership of media organisations, much of the basic information required to establish ultimate ownership and control does not have to be disclosed – ie the size of shareholdings or those with indirect control, significant interests or beneficial ownership. The various corporate laws

Can the public find out who owns the media through free access to the essential information required? It is only possible to finds out who owns broadcast media in Georgia; this is through information reported to the media authority and directly to the public. The Law on Broadcasting requires broadcast media to disclose enough information on the size of shareholdings, beneficial owners and those with indirect interests and control, as well as ownership of broadcast media by offshore companies. Studies suggest that broadcast media ownership is now largely transparent in Georgia. This is in line with the media authority view

Can the public find out who owns the media through free access to the essential information required? It is possible to find out who owns broadcast media in Germany through the media-specific legislation. Media in Germany are regulated by the 16 federal states (or Länder). Broadcast media are regulated by the Interstate Treaty on Broadcasting and Telemedia (RStV) which sets out a legal framework that must be used by each of the 14 state media laws which cover the 16 federal states, thus ensuring consistency across Germany. Under these laws, the public can find out who the owners of broadcast

Can the public find out who owns the media through free access to the essential information required? In Cyprus it is not possible to identify owners of any kind of media through media-specific laws or through company law. The Press Law, which is largely based on Colonial British laws, is outdated and mostly inoperative with many provisions still criminalising offences. Under the Press Law, print media do not require have to disclose any information about shareholders, beneficial owners or those with an indirect interest. In reality, because Cyprus is a small society, almost everyone knows who owns the five main

Can the public find out who owns the media through free access to the essential information required? In Croatia, it is possible to finds out who owns print, broadcast and online media in Croatia through information reported to: the relevant media authorities; directly to the public; or to corporate /trade registers. Through the various amendments to the Media Law (2011) and the Electronic Media Law (2012), media must disclose enough information for their real owners to be identified right back to the individual, not just to a company. This includes information on the all shareholdings over 1%, disclosure of beneficial

Can the public find out who owns the media through free access to the essential information required? Owners of print, electronic and online media which are registered companies can be identified in Bulgaria but only through cross-referencing the disclosures under the relevant media law with those under the Company Registry Act. None of the laws are, on their own, sufficient to identify ownership; the Mandatory Deposition of Print and other Materials Act, which covers print and online media, does not require the size of shareholdings to be revealed so these need to be found in the Company Register; the Radio