“Media Advocate” Initiative states that it fully shares the concern of Prosperous Armenia Party MP Iveta Tonoyan presented during the sitting of the Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sport of the National Assembly. According to it, the paid advertisement aired on Public Television will be destructive for private TV companies.
Iveta Tonoyan particularly noted: “Public TV will be in a dominant position. Everyone is aware of the audience, the coverage, and other features it has. I am more than convinced that the funds allocated to the Public TV from the state budget are currently sufficient enough to provide high quality products and high salaries. $ 1 million 200 thousand per month is enough for it. The legal regulation of paid advertising on Public TV will question the existence of private television companies.”
“Media Advocate” initiative, in case of changes of the advertising market, finds the existence of private television stations endangered and warns that the Armenian authorities are making another attempt to restrict media freedom and pluralism in the country. We will keep a close eye on developments related to this issue and will inform the public of the authorities’ true intentions. At the same time, we will alert the international specialized tribunals about this process of restricting the free activity and pluralism of the media.
