Armenia to replace its law on television and radio
19.06.2020,
15:37
On Thursday, the National Assembly of Armenia passed in the first reading a package of draft laws on audiovisual media and a set of amendments to the law on licensing.
YEREVAN, June 19. /ARKA/. On Thursday, the National Assembly of Armenia passed in the first reading a package of draft laws on audiovisual media and a set of amendments to the law on licensing.
If adopted in the second and final reading, they would completely replace the current Law on Television and Radio.
According to MP Vahagn Tevosyan from the ruling My Step bloc, a co-author of the proposed changes, the changes need to be passed before July 20, when the National Commission on Radio and Television will announce tenders for free frequencies in the public multiplex of television channels for 10 years.
He said the proposed legislative initiatives are meant to strengthen the protection of the state language. The TV channels will have to switch to Armenian regardless of the form of ownership. The changes also include a requirement that audiovisual programs in other languages must be dubbed or broadcast with subtitles.
At the same time, foreign broadcasters are to be excluded from the public multiplex of Armenia. Regarding the last point, the co-rapporteur, Minister of High Technology Industry Hakob Arshakyan added that although some people are trying to give this requirement a political coloring, mutual understanding was reached with Russian colleagues.
Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, another co-author of the changes, said that 30% of TV content should be cultural and educational. He said TV and radio channels are given one month to get prepared for the introduction of changes. -0-
If adopted in the second and final reading, they would completely replace the current Law on Television and Radio.
According to MP Vahagn Tevosyan from the ruling My Step bloc, a co-author of the proposed changes, the changes need to be passed before July 20, when the National Commission on Radio and Television will announce tenders for free frequencies in the public multiplex of television channels for 10 years.
He said the proposed legislative initiatives are meant to strengthen the protection of the state language. The TV channels will have to switch to Armenian regardless of the form of ownership. The changes also include a requirement that audiovisual programs in other languages must be dubbed or broadcast with subtitles.
At the same time, foreign broadcasters are to be excluded from the public multiplex of Armenia. Regarding the last point, the co-rapporteur, Minister of High Technology Industry Hakob Arshakyan added that although some people are trying to give this requirement a political coloring, mutual understanding was reached with Russian colleagues.
Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, another co-author of the changes, said that 30% of TV content should be cultural and educational. He said TV and radio channels are given one month to get prepared for the introduction of changes. -0-
