IT IS ALREADY FIVE YEARS A1+ IS DEPRIVED OF AIR
Support A1+!Do you still exit?
Surely, your TV set is probably out of order.
One can frequently come across suchlike jokes among the employees of A1+ and people of various strata, even high-ranking officials.
Five years ago, this day, the National Commission for Television and Radio (NCTR) deprived independent TV Channel A1+ of airtime broadcast in a “free and fair” tender.
A1+ is still deprived of frequency, despite the multiple demands and mediations of various local and international organisations. It is noteworthy that A1+ has participated in 14 tenders over the past five years and has been rejected in all of them. The company has been deprived of both television and radio frequencies by the NCTR, appointed by RA President Robert Kocharyan.
Under the amended constitution, half of the NCTR members must be appointed by the NA and the second half - by the RA president. Currently the posts of NCTR Chairman Grigor Amalyan and Deputy Chairman Shamiram Aghabekyan are vacant. To remind, Grigor Amalyan and Shamiram Aghabekyan used to ignore A1+’s request and put the company “bad” marks regardless of the packets submitted with the NCTR.
It is due to mention that A1+ won’t resume broadcasting even if Robert Kocharyan doesn’t appoint Grigor Amalyan to the post. Just before ceasing his responsibilities, Grigor Amalyan has announced that no tenders for free frequencies are scheduled for 2007.
It is noteworthy that A1+ was embattled in 2003, prior to the presidential elections.
Some politicians forecast that A1+ would be granted frequency after the presidential elections. But the forecasts failed.
Now it is generally believed that A1+ will be back after the presidential elections of 2008.
The outcome will be known in a year.
