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Aravot, Armenia
Jan 21 2011
Armenian Ararat TV closes, replaced by Holy See's TV
Another Armenian TV - Ararat - has gone off the air after the December
2010 tender for digital broadcasting license, a pro-opposition
Armenian daily, Aravot said on 21 January. Shoghakat TV, owned by the
Holy See of Armenian Apostolic Church, has taken over the frequency of
Ararat TV although Shoghakat did not even take part in the tender the
paper's editor-in-chief, Aram Abrahamyan said. However, Armenia's
National TV and Radio Commission said four Armenian TV channels of
country-wide coverage - TV5, Shoghakat, Hayrenik and ALM, will stop
broadcasting starting from 21 January, Armenian Public TV reported on
20 January.
It was envisaged that only 18 out of the former 22 Armenian TV
channels will stay on air as a result of the 16 December 2010 and 23
December 2010 tenders as a part of Armenia's TV and radio broadcasting
digitalization switchover. A1+ TV channel, which went off air in 2002,
was unable to get a license as a result of 16 December 2010 tender,
and a TV with regional coverage, GALA, which covered opposition
election campaign in 2008, lost its license in 23 December 2010
tender.
Regardless of the NTRC's statement Shoghakat logo appeared on Ararat's
former frequency starting from 21, Aravot said. So, Shoghakat received
Ararat's frequency without even taking part in the tenders, the
paper's editor said. Although the editor does not object that Holy See
had a TV channel, he says that Shoghakat could be provided another
frequency without closing down Ararat TV, which had a significant
number of culture programmes, or at least Shoghakat should have
submitted a bid in the tender, Abrahamyan says.
From: A. Papazian
Jan 21 2011
Armenian Ararat TV closes, replaced by Holy See's TV
Another Armenian TV - Ararat - has gone off the air after the December
2010 tender for digital broadcasting license, a pro-opposition
Armenian daily, Aravot said on 21 January. Shoghakat TV, owned by the
Holy See of Armenian Apostolic Church, has taken over the frequency of
Ararat TV although Shoghakat did not even take part in the tender the
paper's editor-in-chief, Aram Abrahamyan said. However, Armenia's
National TV and Radio Commission said four Armenian TV channels of
country-wide coverage - TV5, Shoghakat, Hayrenik and ALM, will stop
broadcasting starting from 21 January, Armenian Public TV reported on
20 January.
It was envisaged that only 18 out of the former 22 Armenian TV
channels will stay on air as a result of the 16 December 2010 and 23
December 2010 tenders as a part of Armenia's TV and radio broadcasting
digitalization switchover. A1+ TV channel, which went off air in 2002,
was unable to get a license as a result of 16 December 2010 tender,
and a TV with regional coverage, GALA, which covered opposition
election campaign in 2008, lost its license in 23 December 2010
tender.
Regardless of the NTRC's statement Shoghakat logo appeared on Ararat's
former frequency starting from 21, Aravot said. So, Shoghakat received
Ararat's frequency without even taking part in the tenders, the
paper's editor said. Although the editor does not object that Holy See
had a TV channel, he says that Shoghakat could be provided another
frequency without closing down Ararat TV, which had a significant
number of culture programmes, or at least Shoghakat should have
submitted a bid in the tender, Abrahamyan says.
From: A. Papazian