21/08/2013 - A drop in advertisement on television channels has had alarming consequences for the film museum

The Portuguese Film Museum in Lisbon is running the risk of closing if no “injection of capital” materialises from the culture ministry before the end of the month according to institution head Maria João Seixas, who spoke yesterday to the Lusa agency.

The critical financial situation is due in part to the crisis, which caused a strong diminishing of television advertisements. According to the current law, the institution’s budget does not directly depend on a general budget from the state, but rather on a tax of 4% on television advertisements. The resulting funds are destined to the financing of the audiovisual industry in Portugal. The ICA keeps 80% of the total, while the museum, which manages the national archive of moving images (ANIM), is given the other 20%.

A fall in advertising has had alarming consequences on the museum and is putting its archives to risk. Salaries of 71 workers, programming and the activities of the museum itself are all awaiting a response from the culture ministry.

Due to budget restrictions, the museum had already decided this year to cut subtitles and information production on monthly programming.  

(Translated from French)