Parliamentary questions | Doc. 13177 | 22 April 2013
Parliamentary question to the Chairperson-in-Office of the Committee of Ministers
Question from Mr Levon ZOURABIAN (Armenia, ALDE)
(open)The Armenian authorities had promised that the digitalisation of broadcasting would expand 21 analogous frequencies into 60-70 frequencies and solve the problem for all the aspirant TV media. However, only 17 digital frequencies are now available as a result of the reform, effectively meaning that the digitalisation has further restricted the media environment in Armenia.
Does the Committee of Ministers intend to ask the Armenian Government to increase the number of broadcasting licenses available and possibly hold a new broadcasting license tender in order to increase the pluralism and diversity of the media environment in Armenia?
Reply by the Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers
As the Committee of Ministers emphasised in its Recommendation Rec(2003)9 of 28 May 2003 on measures to promote the democratic and social contribution of digital broadcasting, member States should “create adequate legal and economic conditions for the development of digital broadcasting that guarantee the pluralism of broadcasting services and public access to an enlarged choice and variety of quality programmes”. With the same aim in mind, the basic principles for digital broadcasting appended to the Recommendation state that “when awarding digital broadcasting licences, the relevant public authorities should ensure that the services on offer are many and varied”. Member States are expected to take all appropriate measures to ensure the implementation in practice of the principles set out in the Recommendation, and it is for each member State to determine the number of digital television services to be granted a licence, in the light of national economic and technical conditions.