ARMENIA TO STOP RELAYING FOREIGN BROADCASTING COMPANIES ON PTRBC’S FREQUENCY

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
July 26 2007

YEREVAN, July 25. /ARKA/. The Public Television & Radio Broadcasting
Company (PTRBC) of Armenia announced the termination of the relay of
programs of foreign and local broadcasting companies on its frequency
from August 9, 2007.

The PTRBC Board reports that the decision was made on July 6, 2007,
taking into account the international experience and activities of
public television and radio broadcasting companies.

The Board sent notifications to the three broadcasting companies
which are relayed on the PTRBC’s frequency. These are the "Mir"
TV and Radio Company, the radio station Liberty/Free Europe and the
television company Tsaig.

According to the statement of the PTRBC Board, the request of the
radio station Liberty/Free Europe for prolonging the terms of the relay
was satisfied by the PTRBC. Moreover, the Board and the Public Radio
expressed their willingness to contribute to negotiations between the
radio station Liberty/Free Europe and local Armenian radio stations.

On the basis of the discussions of the American Broadcasters Board
(ABB), the PTRBC Board did not rule out the possibility of assisting
the relay of the programs of the radio Liberty/Free Europe through the
mediation of the intercontinental radio broadcasting company Ar-Radio.

The Public Radio and Ar-Radio signed an agreement on technical issues
of the relay of programs of the radio Liberty/Free Europe. Harry
Thatcher, ABB Director was informed in a written form about this on
July 24, 2007.

After this, the ABB introduced a draft agreement on the relay of the
programs of the Radio Liberty/Free Europe through the mediation of
the Ar-Radio.

However, the radio station Liberty/Free Europe circulated a statement,
expressing its concern about the RA Public Radio’s refusal to prolong
the agreement on the relay of programs of Armenian Radio Liberty.

According to the PTRBC Board, the statement has certain serious
inaccuracies and does not reflect the essence of the trilateral
negotiations on conventional, financial and technical issues which
opened last week.

The PTRBC Board states that there is not any agreement between the
Public Radio Company and ABD or the radio station Liberty/Free Europe
on relaying programs of the Armenian Radio Liberty on the PTRBC’s
frequency.

However, the Public Radio Company, as a gesture of goodwill, kept on
relaying the programs of the Radio Liberty and delivering bills on
the service.

The radio station Liberty/Free Europe paid bills until February 2007.

At present, the radio company’s outstanding debt for the relay services
is about $86,000.

The State Radio did not decline the proposal of Liberty/Free Europe
to pay the bills. Instead, it sent a number of notes to pay the
outstanding debt without delay, the PTRBC Board says.

The PTRBC Board and the Public Radio Company confirmed their
willingness to continue the cooperation with the International
Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) and Liberty/Free Europe as a sign of
friendship between Armenia and the USA.

The RA Parliament could not make amendments to the law "On Television
and Radio", according to which the relay of other broadcasting
companies on the frequencies of the Armenian Public Television
was banned.

The law affected the right of broadcasting the Armenian Radio Station
Liberty on the frequencies of the PTRBC. The opposition was against
passing the bill, saying that it was against the Radio Liberty.

According to the opposition members, it is an attempt to restrain
the freedom of speech and spoil Armenian-American relations.

A number of international and local organizations are also concerned
about the bill. Z. Sh. -0–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress