KENTRON TV FINED: COMPANY OWNED BY TSARUKYAN CHARGED WITH CAMPAIGNING WHILE POLLS WERE STILL OPEN
By Gohar Abrahamyan

ArmeniaNow
11.05.12 | 15:30

The National Television and Radio Commission (NTRC) on Friday imposed
a fine of one million drams (about $2,600) on Kentron TV, which
belongs to the leader of the second strongest party Prosperous Armenia
(PAP), subjecting it to administrative liability for broadcasting a
campaign-natured program during the period which was prohibited by law.

On the day of the elections (May 6) Kentron aired a comment by
ANC coordinator Levon Zurabyan urging viewers to not vote for the
Republican Party of Armenia. The comment appeared prior to the polling
stations closing.

Representative of ‘MultiMedia-Kentron TV’ CJSC, lawyer Ara Saghumyan
does not agree with NTRC’s decision, saying that the TV channel
broadcast the press conference live, and during Zurabyan’s statement
the word ‘Live’ was seen on the screen, however his objections were
not taken into account.

NTRC Chairman Grigor Amalyan said that “even during live broadcasting
the speakers were supposed to be informed that they could not spread
campaign-natured information.”

“During live broadcasting, especially within that period it was
necessary to be extremely careful, and there is no need to cling to
the word ‘live’. The fact that the word ‘live’ was seen on the screen
at that moment is simply a mitigating circumstance,” Amalyan said.

Earlier, Petros Ghazaryan, director of political and news programs at
Kentron TV, in an interview with RFE/RL’s Armenian service stated that
he does not consider this administrative issue to be a pressure and
they (the TV channel) will continue to work the way they did before.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress