You're reading: Azarov says current situation with TVi is unacceptable

Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov has said that the worsening of conditions for the broadcasting of national television channels is unacceptable, according to the media liaisons department of the secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers.

In a letter sent to the heads of cable operators, Azarov asked them
to find an opportunity for TVi Channel to broadcast its programs in
cable networks.

“Freedom of speech is a basic principle of democracy and the main
factor in the development of society, and it’s especially important to
guarantee it at a time when citizens are deciding on their choice before
the vote for deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine,” reads the
letter.

He said that everything must be done to avoid the slightest reproach
against Ukraine that some political parties or media are somehow limited
in their work on the domestic market of television products and the
provision of television services.

“The government has paid and will continue to pay attention to the development of the media,” Azarov said.

At a meeting on considering the issue of the rebroadcasting of
programs of TeleRadioSvit Television and Radio Company Ltd. in cable
networks, he proposed that the National Council on Television and Radio
Broadcasting and cable operators review the principles of the formation
of packages in favor of domestic broadcasters and prevent the worsening
of conditions for the broadcasting of domestic television channels,
including TVi.

He also proposed imposing sanctions against the unauthorized, in
violation of the terms of contracts with customers and without the
knowledge of the national council, withdrawal of television channels by
providers from their program packages.

“We must deal with the fact to which the users of the TVi channel are
drawing our attention. The issue concerns the refusal by certain
providers to connect the channel to cable networks. I sent a letter to
all who are dealing with this issue, including the National Council on
Television and Radio Broadcasting, so that we could ensure the possible
work of this channel,” Azarov said.

The meeting was also attended by Head of the State Committee on
Television and Radio Broadcasting Oleksandr Kurdinovych, Chairman of the
National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting Volodymyr
Manzhosov and Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Olefirov.