Announced tenders are less than required

On July 20 and 27, 2010, following the requirements of the RA Law “On Making Amendments to RA law “On Television and Radio,” the National Commission on Television and Radio announced broadcast licensing competitions for national, metropolitan and local broadcasting through digital network. The total number of announced contests is 25.

The author of this text started to have suspicions about the tender when the counting was carried out – how many national and metropolitan TV stations will acquire a broadcasting license in the competitions announced by the NCTR. It turned to be 17, while during the discussions of the bill, envisaging changes in the regulation of the broadcasting field, and after its adoption, every time the figure 18 was mentioned.

To clarify the situation, we compared the requirements of Article 47 of the above-mentioned Law and the number of contests announced by the National Commission. Discrepancy was revealed in the section of broadcasters in the capital. Here, in point 6, the law envisages presence of four relaying TV companies. However, only three competitions have been announced. As a result, the number of prospective broadcasters in Yerevan is eight instead of nine TV companies envisaged by Law, and the total number of licensed TV stations – 25 instead of 26.

Thus, the National Commission on Television and Radio did not fully comply with the requirements of Article 47 of the RA Law “On Making Amendments to RA law “On Television and Radio”. It is difficult to say whether this is a simple omission, an error in calculation or a deliberate step, but it can definitely be stated that the NCTR has violated the law.

Mesrop Harutyunyan,

CPFE Expert