Slovak ministry wants a new building for public media

Bratislava - The Slovak Ministry of Culture wants to move the Slovak Radio (SRo) and Slovak Television (STV) to a new building for 2.6 billion Slovak korunas (approximately 2.1 billion CZK). According to an analysis published by the ministry, this is the most advantageous solution to the current problems with the broadcasting spaces of both public service media. The proposal is to be discussed by the Slovak government, and the ministry wants to convince the leadership of both media about the move by then.
    The Ministry of Culture commissioned a private company to assess how to address the high operating costs of the television and radio buildings. According to the office's analysis, the current spaces of public service media are technologically outdated and underutilized in terms of capacity. SRo utilizes only 30 percent of its premises, while STV uses 41 percent. Last year, the radio paid 81.3 million Slovak korunas (approximately 67 million CZK) for building operation, while television spent 66.3 million (over 54 million CZK).
    The proposal to build a new building envisages that the Slovak state press agency TASR would also move into the facility. Both the radio and television are willing to relocate, provided that the new headquarters will be equipped with the special studios, laboratories, and archives that they currently possess.
    "It also depends on whether it is a comparable offer to what STV's premises look like today and whether it can potentially develop," remarked statutory representative of STV Nikolaj Savický. He did not want to comment further on the proposal, as the television management reportedly has not seen it yet.
    Without the consent of the public service media, the ministry will not start building the new facility. It plans to finance it with the proceeds from the sale of the current buildings, which have belonged to both media for several years and not to the state.
    The ministry also assessed two other options for resolving the situation of SRo and STV. One of these was the modernization of the existing premises. According to the ministry's estimates, this would cost between 2.4 and 4.15 billion Slovak korunas. Moving both media into the STV building and modernizing it would supposedly cost between 1.9 and 2.6 billion Slovak korunas.