The Central Election Commission (CEC) has decided that TV and radio companies, regardless of property types, should present the price of paid broadcasting before December 18. According to the Electoral Code of the Republic of Armenia, the TV and radio companies that provide broadcasting time during the election campaign must make public the per-minute charge for broadcasting not later than ten days after the election date is announced. However, the survey of www.aravot.am among private TV companies showed that they don’t rush to make public the information on the per-minute charge for political advertising. We were informed from the commercial department of a TV company Armenia that there was no information on the per-minute charge for political advertising yet.
Another TV company Yerkir Media has already made up its mind. We were informed from the marketing department that this year the per-minute charge for political advertising would be 30 000 AMD, including the VAT.
In response to our written request, the Kentron TV channel informed: “According to Article 19 of the Electoral Code of the Republic of Armenia, during the election campaign in the run-up to the February 18, 2013, presidential election, the per-minute charge for political advertising on the Kentron TV channel is set at 32 400 AMD, including the VAT, and will be based on the principle of equal opportunities.”
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The Public Television of Armenia council made a decision at a meeting that took place on December 14 to set the per-minute charge for political advertising on the Public Television during the election campaign in the run-up to the February 18, 2013, presidential election at 80 thousand AMD, including the VAT, and for broadcasting on the Public Radio at 3 600 AMD. These prices haven’t changed compared to the previous presidential election.
Let us note that the price set by the Public Television hasn’t changed compared to the 2008 presidential election. In the run-up to the previous election, the per-minute charge on the TV channel Armenia was set at 130 thousand AMD and on Shant at 120 thousand AMD. The per-minute charge for political advertising on TV channels Yerkir Media and AR was set at 100 thousand AMD.
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
