OSCE SATISFIED THAT PRIVATE BROADCASTER IN AZERBAIJAN RESUMES TRANSMISSION

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[05:38 pm] 12 December, 2006

The OSCE Office in Baku and the Organization’s Representative
on Freedom of the Media have welcomed yesterday’s decision to
allow Azerbaijan’s private TV and radio broadcaster ANS to resume
transmission.

The National TV and Radio Council (NTRC), has said that, as an
exception, ANS can resume broadcasting so that "the channel’s
frequencies do not stay empty until the recently announced tender
closes". The Council also explained that the decision was a result of
"the good will of President Ilham Aliyev and numerous appeals made
by the public and rights activists."

"We commend this decision, which signals some political flexibility
by the National Council in view of the public’s desire to see the
channel on air," said Robin Seaword, Acting Head of the OSCE Office.

"We understand that no conditions accompany the decision to allow
the resumption of ANS work and hope to see an unchanged editorial
line of the channel as confirmation of that."

Commenting on a tender announced for the frequencies currently used
by ANS, Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the
Media, said: "The people of Azerbaijan are entitled to choose out
of variety of information sources to know about what’s happening in
their country, region, and the world. "

"We hope that next February, when the NTRC will be considering
applications for frequencies, it will do it in a transparent and
fair manner in order to take into account pluralism and reflect on
the already expressed choices of the public of Azerbaijan," he added.

Founded in 1991, ANS is considered as one of the most-viewed and
professional TV channels in Azerbaijan. ANS TV and ANS Ch.M radio
were taken off air on 24 November without being allowed to appeal an
NTRC decision.