WILL "LIBERTY" SIGN THE AGREEMENT?
A1+
[08:31 pm] 26 July, 2007
In upcoming days an agreement will be signed on rebroadcast of programs
of "Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty" through the Broadcasting Board
of Governors and the "Ar Radio" Intercontinental. Alexan Harutyunyan,
Chairman of Public Radio and Television Council informed this to "A1+".
Commenting on the disseminated announcement, Alexan Harutyunyan noted
that they accepted the request of "Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty"
to extend the term of broadcasting the programs on 9 August on Public
Radio. As to how many radio listeners will have the opportunity
to listen to the programs of "Liberty" on Public Radio, Alexan
Harutyunyan doubted to answer, noting that the issue was still
being discussed and it was difficult talk about the terms before
signing the agreement. Public Radio will also sign an agreement with
"Ar Radio" Intercontinental to reduce its broadcasting hours on "Ar
Radio" FM network, so that these hours are allocated to "Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty".
The correspondent of "A1+" also talked to Head of the Armenian Service
of Radio "Liberty" Hrayr Tamrazyan.
"I deeply hope that our listeners will be able to listen to the
programs of "Liberty" on Public Radio.
We talked to Vardan Oskanyan today and he also expressed his hope that
"Liberty" will continue to broadcast and will not loose its audience",
said Hrayr Tamrazyan from Prague. He also pointed that nothing had
changed after yesterday’s announcement of Public Radio and Television
Council. "The statement of the Broadcasting Board of Governors is
still in force".
Alexan Harutyunyan assures that the agreement is ready and should be
signed in the upcoming days. Hrayr Tamrazyan informed "A1+": "We are
not talking about 102 FM Tuner, we are talking about Public Radio. We
hope that we will continue to broadcast our programs on Public
Radio. We only talk about Public Radio at this moment". After the
interview with Alexan Harutyunyan, it became clear that broadcasting
on Public Radio was excluded; the negotiations refer only to changing
broadcasts of "Liberty" completely to "Ar Radio" and delaying it for
some days or even months.
Alexan Harutyunyan ensures that 102 FM Tuner, on which "Radio Yerevan"
is broadcasted, was also Public.
To our question whether "Radio Yerevan", whose license is expired
in 2009, will be deprived of license during 2008 competition, in the
result of which the "Liberty" will also be deprived of broadcasting;
Mr Harutyunyan said that "Radio Yerevan" would hardly be deprived
of license. "Ar Radio" Intercontinental will have to update its
network. By the way, programs of "Radiolur" will not be broadcasted on
"Ar Radio", thus, according to Alexan Harutyunyan "Liberty" will be
provided a free competition field.