Armenia Restores Broadcasting of Russia's First Channel After Debt Repayment

The Ministry of High-Tech Industry of Armenia has announced the resumption of Russia's First Channel broadcasting in Armenia. This follows the repayment of the channel's debt, which had accumulated over a period of two and a half months.

Why this matters: The restoration of First Channel broadcasting in Armenia has significant implications for international broadcasting agreements and content regulation. This development may set a precedent for other countries to re-evaluate their broadcasting agreements and ensure compliance with contractual obligations.

Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, the Minister of High-Tech Industry, confirmed the development. He stated, "According to the existing agreement between CJSC 'Television and Radio Broadcasting Network of Armenia' and JSC 'Channel One. World Network,' Channel One failed to fulfill its contractual obligations, accumulating a debt of 2.5 months. The broadcast of the Russian channel on the public multiplex has been temporarily suspended until the debt is fully paid off."

The suspension of Channel One is not an isolated incident. Approximately two months ago, the broadcast of programs 'Evening with Vladimir Solovyov' and 'Sunday Evening with Vladimir Solovyov' on the RTR-Planeta channel multiplex was also suspended following ongoing violations recorded in the region. Additionally, last fall, Armenian authorities criticized Channel One for offensive and unacceptable remarks about high-ranking officials of the Republic.

The recent resumption of Channel One's broadcasting follows Armenian-Russian bilateral consultations held in Yerevan on December 5, 2023. During these consultations, the Armenian side recorded violations of the agreement and proposed new measures to exclude programs with anti-Armenian content.

Through the public multiplex in Armenia, Russian channels such as Channel One, 'Culture,' and 'RTR-Planeta' are broadcast. The restoration of Channel One's broadcasting is expected to improve the media environment and ensure compliance with the contractual obligations between the involved parties.

The resumption of Channel One's broadcasting marks a significant step in addressing the financial and content-related issues that have affected the channel's presence in Armenia. The Ministry of High-Tech Industry's announcement highlights the importance of maintaining contractual agreements and ensuring respectful content in international broadcasting.

Key Takeaways

• Russia's First Channel broadcasting resumes in Armenia after debt repayment.
• Channel One accumulated 2.5 months of debt, violating contractual obligations.
• Armenian authorities criticized Channel One for offensive remarks about officials.
• Bilateral consultations led to new measures to exclude anti-Armenian content.
• Resumption of broadcasting aims to improve media environment and compliance.