Chairman of the “Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression” Ashot Melikyan considers the demand of the Front “For the sake of the Armenian state” to terminate the rebroadcasting of all Russian TV channels providing public-political content, including “NTV”, “Zvezda”, “Ren TV”, inappropriate.
“It is not appropriate at all, just think, if these channels were not available to our society, we would not even be aware that such shameful programs were broadcast. People watch these programs not only in Russia but many other countries, and it could affect the public opinion abroad. These TV channels should continue to operate, but only on the cable network.
But in such cases, if untrue, biased and defamatory reports are broadcast, of course, we should be able to respond those, in this regard, both the state and public instances should work on that. This protest movement is very relevant and it is very important that these TV companies not only know about it but also broadcast a report where we can have a chance to express our response, our view”, said Ashot Melikyan.
According to him the foreign and first of all Russian TV channels should be broadcast only on cable network: “The rationale is obvious: this is not the first year, the Russian channels are engaged in obvious propaganda, the components of which are half-true, unverified facts that are delivered to the public to reach their goal of influencing them. The best way to deal with that propaganda is to move the channels into the cable network, but it requires a political decision, which I do not think our authorities will agree to make”.
Arpine SIMONYAN
