Open Society Forum NGO organized the workshop on Quality Management in Public Service Broadcasting in Ulaanbaatar from 7 to 9 May 2006. The seminar was attended by round 30 people, including the management of Mongolian National Public Radio and Television /MNPRT/. Antonio Riva, an experienced lawyer (and chairman of the Board of the Foundation, chairman of the Swiss National Sound Archives, media consultant in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo, former CEO of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation) lectured the participants on international standards observed by the internet, media and broadcasting organizations. He acknowledged the quality of papers and documents produced by MNPRT's National Council, such as the ethic rules of the National Council's Committee. He further underlined that some of the documentation could be used a used a good model. In order to bring more clarity into its activities, an 11 member strong MNPRT's National Council has established two Committees on Foreign Affairs, Management and Ethics, respectively.

MNPRT's independency was in the spotlight. Under the current Law on Public Radio and TV, MNPRT shall be financed through the state budget. Some people favored this funding pattern while others argued that financing the MNPRT though the state budget, i.e. taxpayers money would, in the long run, entail dependency on the state. According to Munkhsoyol, B, manager of Open Society Forum NGO, this issue should be solved through negotiations with the Mongolian Government.

More information: http://www.forum.mn