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WILL “LIBERTY” SIGN THE AGREEMENT?

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In upcoming days an agreement will be signed on rebroadcast of programs of “Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty” through the Broadcasting Board of Governors and the “Ar Radio” Intercontinental. Alexan Harutyunyan, Chairman of Public Radio and Television Council informed this to “A1+”.

Commenting on the disseminated announcement, Alexan Harutyunyan noted that they accepted the request of “Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty” to extend the term of broadcasting the programs on 9 August on Public Radio. As to how many radio listeners will have the opportunity to listen to the programs of “Liberty” on Public Radio, Alexan Harutyunyan doubted to answer, noting that the issue was still being discussed and it was difficult talk about the terms before signing the agreement. Public Radio will also sign an agreement with “Ar Radio” Intercontinental to reduce its broadcasting hours on “Ar Radio” FM network, so that these hours are allocated to “Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty”.

The correspondent of “A1+” also talked to Head of the Armenian Service of Radio “Liberty” Hrayr Tamrazyan.

“I deeply hope that our listeners will be able to listen to the programs of “Liberty” on Public Radio. We talked to Vardan Oskanyan today and he also expressed his hope that “Liberty” will continue to broadcast and will not loose its audience”, said Hrayr Tamrazyan from Prague. He also pointed that nothing had changed after yesterday’s announcement of Public Radio and Television Council. “The statement of the Broadcasting Board of Governors is still in force”.

Alexan Harutyunyan assures that the agreement is ready and should be signed in the upcoming days. Hrayr Tamrazyan informed “A1+”: “We are not talking about 102 FM Tuner, we are talking about Public Radio. We hope that we will continue to broadcast our programs on Public Radio. We only talk about Public Radio at this moment”. After the interview with Alexan Harutyunyan, it became clear that broadcasting on Public Radio was excluded; the negotiations refer only to changing broadcasts of “Liberty” completely to “Ar Radio” and delaying it for some days or even months. Alexan Harutyunyan ensures that 102 FM Tuner, on which “Radio Yerevan” is broadcasted, was also Public.

To our question whether “Radio Yerevan”, whose license is expired in 2009, will be deprived of license during 2008 competition, in the result of which the “Liberty” will also be deprived of broadcasting; Mr Harutyunyan said that “Radio Yerevan” would hardly be deprived of license. “Ar Radio” Intercontinental will have to update its network. By the way, programs of “Radiolur” will not be broadcasted on “Ar Radio”, thus, according to Alexan Harutyunyan “Liberty” will be provided a free competition field.