OSCE presents expert recommendations on the digital broadcasting draft plan of Armenia

YEREVAN, 22 November 2006 - An OSCE expert review of Armenia's draft plan for digital TV and radio broadcasting in the country was presented today in Yerevan.

The report highlighted that social and economic issues, as well as infrastructure development, were key issues of concern when it comes to ensuring more access to broadcasting in Armenia. It was also recommended that more attention should be paid to avoid monopolization.

In an address delivered on his behalf in the Armenian capital, Miklós Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, welcomed the Armenian Government's initiative to establish a regulatory basis for the digitalization of broadcasting media and to encourage a public discussion on the move.

"This 'switch-over' from analogue to digital transmission will multiply the number of available channels and make state licensing largely unnecessary," he said in his speech.

Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan said: "I hope that today's discussion will help identify the challenges in making the 'switch-over' an achievable and well-managed objective. This is very important for the safeguarding and promotion of media pluralism in Armenia."

Following the allocation of a digital terrestrial frequency range to Armenia by the International Telecommunications Union earlier in the year, the Armenian authorities drafted an implementation plan as an initial step to put into practice the changes from analogue to digital broadcasting. At the request of the Armenian Government, the OSCE Media Representative, who in an earlier country report on Armenia had recommended to establish the legislative framework for the switch to digital broadcasting, provided an expert review on the draft plan.

The presentation of the expert review was organized by the OSCE Office in Yerevan, the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media together with the the Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation-Armenia, and the Armenian Ministry of Transport and Communication.