Epress.am News from Armenia
Armenia’s TV viewership is not that pleased with what numerous TV stations are offering them, and it can be said that our television broadcasts are moving in a very one-sided direction not only in political terms, but also in terms of net content, said Board of Trustees of the People’s TV Foundation and Yerevan Press Club (YPC) President Boris Navasardian, speaking to journalists today about the idea behind creating People’s TV.
“We even have such an issue that the public, perhaps, can’t really picture what it expects from television. At the same time, particularly in Armenia’s marzes [provinces, the regions], television for many remains not the main, but the only source of information,” said Navasardian.
Thus, according to the YPC president, the idea was born for creating a people’s TV, which can also in this case occupy a part of A1+ TV broadcasting. Note that the People’s TV Foundation aims to support A1+ in the broadcast licensing competitions.
Noting that in many countries, citizens pay for public television, Navasardian emphasized: “If, really, the people and the public wanted to have that which they don’t have today, they have to be prepared to support this type of television in some way.”
It was important for the Foundation’s Board to first find out how the public perceives the idea of paying for the programs it wants.
About 20,000 citizens expressed their support, even going so far as to transfer a symbolic amount, said Navasardian: according to preliminary data, the amount that’s been received is close to 3.5 million drams (about $9,722 US). The collecting of donations will continue till the end of this year, after which, according to A1+ President Mesrop Movsesian, a specific program will be presented to the public.
“Whether A1+ will win [the broadcast licensing competition] or not, it won’t affect the process because A1+ today also broadcasts online. However, I consider that it’s too soon to withdraw from [TV] broadcasting and frequency and our struggle continues. I have serious hopes that we will win and this [paid-for] order will be on air,” said Movsesian.
In the opinion of People’s TV Foundation board member and chair of Gyumri’s Asparez Journalists’ Club Levon Barseghian, there is only one body that has a large influence on the National Committee of TV and Radio (NCTR) of the Republic of Armenia: the presidential palace. “However Baghramyan 26 [the address of Armenia’s presidential palace] finds it, that’s how the committee will be guided.”
However, Barseghian believes that decision-makers will provide a broadcast license to the TV station that has the opportunity of “making that channel really popular.”
The People’s TV Foundation was launched on Oct. 18. It aims to promote freedom of expression and to support A1+ TV company, which is taking part in the broadcast licensing competitions, according to the Yerevan Press Club. As it has been reported, the competitions, announced by the National Commission on Television and Radio (NCTR) on July 20, 2010, will be held in Armenia for the first time and are stipulated by the digital switchover from analogue broadcasting.
A1+ was deprived of its broadcast license in April 2002. The TV company had taken part in all the broadcast licensing competitions, but every time its bids were scored lower by the NCTR than those of its rivals.