Legislation
Laws
The Law of Republic of
Armenia "On Television and Radiobroadcasting"
[ unofficial translation ]
Chapter IV. Public Television of Armenia
Article 28. The Status and Principles of Operation of Armenian
Public Television
The public television is a state enterprise with a special
status. This Law regulates the legal part of the Armenian Public
Television. It is launched by the State to guarantee the
Constitutional rights of people to freely receive political,
economic, educational, cultural, children's, teenagers, scientific,
Armenian language and history, sport, entertainment and other
popular information. It is operating according to this law, to its
regulations and the RA legislation.
The Public Television Company carries out its activities in the
sphere of producing and broadcasting the television programs of the
Public TV and Radio Company, and the Public Radio Company carries
out its activities in the sphere of producing and broadcasting the
radio programs of the Public TV and Radio Company. Their supreme
body of management is the Council of Public TV and Radio Company.
The production of an official statement, subject to broadcast by the
Public TV and Radio Company, is carried out by the staff (the
department) of the body that has presented that statement, or the
Public TV and Radio Company, or other TV and radio companies, with
the consent of that body.
According to the article 80 of the Constitution, the Public TV and
Radio Company carries out the production of the video recording of
the National Assembly sessions convened with the purpose of making
inquiries to the government of the Republic of Armenia, as well as
the live broadcasting of the National Assembly sessions and, in
cases defined by the National Assembly, the video recordings (the
audio recordings) of the National Assembly sessions. The staff of
the National Assembly carried out the production of the video
recording of the time period allotted for the parliament members’
announcements taking place at the last session of each Tuesday of
the three-day sessions of the National Assembly, as well as the
production of the “Parliament Hour” TV program and other
programs stipulated by the law of the Republic of Armenia
“Regulations of the National Assembly.”
The Public television and radio functions based on principle of
democracy, objectiveness, unbiased and provide freedom of speech and
creativeness.
Public Television and Radio Company is obliged to:
a) Broadcast the programs stipulated by the RA law “Regulations of
the National Assembly” according to the procedure and time defined
by that law
b) Allot at least two third of the programs to national production
c) To ensure the diversity of the programs with the possible
selection of programs and series.
d) To make and realize a program policy:
1) To use the most convenient airtime for the most publicly popular
program, presenting the official statement on the subject.
2) To provide the audience with programs that considers the
interests of ethnic minorities, different social groups and
different regions of Armenia.
e) To make sure deaf and mute people have access to information.
Public Television and Radio can provide airtime for the ethnic
minorities in their languages.
The volume of those programs should not exceed to one hour per week
for television and one hour per day for radio.
In public television and radio companies:
a) Commercial advertisement should not exceed 5 per cent of all
programs.
b) A program in a process of a broadcast cannot be interrupted for a
commercial advertisement.
c) In the aired program there shall not be a dominance of political
orientation and political advertisement out of campaign period.
d) The length of the official statements of the President of the
Republic, the National Assembly, the government cannot exceed 3
minutes a day for each of them.
e) During the state mourning the broadcast of advertisements and
entertainment programs is prohibited.
At least one channel of public television and radio shall cover the
entire
country.
It is forbidden to use the frequencies used by the public television
and radio by other broadcasting companies without particular
agreement. During the strike of the staff of Public television and
radio the company is obliged to provide with at least two news
programs a day.
The National Assembly approves the regulation of the public
television and Radio Company.
The council of Public Television and Radio Company works out the
regulations of the Public Television and Radio Company and
introduces it to the government of the Republic of Armenia. The
government of the Republic of Armenia presents the regulations, as a
legislative initiative, to the RA National Assembly, attaching its
conclusion. The National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia
ratifies the regulations of the Public Television and Radio Company
by a law.
Article 29. The Council of Public Television and Radio Company
The executive body of the public Television and Radio Company is
the Council.
The President of the Republic appoints members of the Council.
The Council comprises of 5 members. Members are appointed for the
period of six years. The Council elects a Chairman and members from
among its staff. The functioning periods of the members of the first
staff of the Council are defined in the additional provisions of
this law.
The Head and the members of the Council are paid from the part of
the budget for the Public Television and Radio Company.
The members of the Council are selected from the journalism,
jurisdiction, the management of the television and radio
broadcasting, science, cultural sphere and other qualified
professionals, having graduated from institutions of higher
education and having fluent knowledge of Armenian.
Those who cannot be members of the Council:
a) the leaders of political parties,
b) foreign citizens and persons without citizenship,
c) the directors of public and private television and radio
companies,
d) persons who are in a contractual relationship with the
broadcasting companies.
The Council functions based on this Law, its regulations, other
legislative norms, and is independent within its jurisdiction.
The Council can be liquidated in case this law is considered invalid
or there is an amendment to the law.
Article 30. The Order of the Activities of the Council
The work of the Council is being organized through daily
activities and session meetings.
The President of the Council calls the session meetings for no less
than once a month.
The President of the Council for two reasons calls the extraordinary
session.
a) by his/her initiative
b) by the request of at least two members of the Council.
The session meeting of the Council is legal if it is run by the
President or by a vice president with the President's authorization
and there should be more then half of the members present.
The session meeting of the Council is open. The Council provides
with the publicity of its' functions.
Article 31. The President of the Council and the Members
The President of the Council is being elected from the members of
the Council. The President:
a) Organizes the work of the Council and its staff.
b) Calling the meeting session of the Council and runs them, sign
the decisions of the Council and the minutes of the meetings.
c) Coordinates and assures the work of the Public Television and
Radio company. The President and the members of the Council during
the implementation of their duty cannot be engaged in another paid
work, except pedagogical, creative and scientific activities.
The members of the Council cannot be called back from their job
before the end of term with the exclusion of the following cases
when the member:
a) Has resigned.
b) Is elected or appointed in another state position.
c) Without valid reason over three months is not participating the
work of the Council.
d) Is sentenced by the court verdict.
e) Has lost the citizenship of RA,
f) In case of death.
In cases of above mentioned the work of the Council can be
terminated before the expiry date by the Decree of the President.
In case of a vacant place in the Council the President of the
Council informs the
President of the Republic and it shall be filled within one-month
time.
The same person cannot be elected a member of the Council more then
twice.
Article 32. The Jurisdiction of the Council
The Council of Public Television and Radio Broadcasting Company:
a) Defines the overall broadcasting volume of the Public TV and
radio company programs, as well as the number of TV and radio
channels.
b) Approves the structure and the schedule of the programs.
c) Writes and provides the government with its Regulations for
approval.
d) Sets the expenditure regulations.
e) Approves the status of the staff (Television and Radio
Broadcasting Company), their contracts and payments.
f) Defines the category of staff who are cannot to work in other
television and radio broadcasting companies and media.
g) Defines the rules of competition for the vacancy of the Head of
Public Television and Radio Company.
h) Appoints the executive directors of Public Television and Radio
Companies who passed the competition for vacancy.
i) Approves the deputy heads presented by the executive directors of
Public Television and Radio Companies.
j) At least once a year receives a report by the Heads of the Public
Television and Radio Companies.
k) In case of unsatisfactory work fires the Heads of Public
Television and Radio Companies.
The implementations of the decisions of the Council are obligatory
for the Heads of the Public Television and Radio Companies.
The Function of the Council is public. The Council shall inform
media regularly about its activities and taken decisions.
The Council provides the President of RA and the National Assembly
with the annual report.
Article 33. The Jurisdiction of the Executive Body of the
Council
The executive body of the Council appoints the Executive
Directors of the Public Television and Radio Companies on a
competition basis.
The executive Directors and Deputy Directors of Public Television
and Radio Companies:
Direct the current activities of the Public Television and Radio
Companies.
Approves the administrative structure, release orders, sign
agreements and
monitor their implementation.
Approves the size of the payments for the staff.
Participate in the work of the Council with the right to advising
voice.
In the country, outside the country present the Public Television
and Radio
Company.
The executive Directors of Public Television and Radio Companies are
appointed or fired by the two third of the Council's voice.
Article 34. The Staff of the Council
The Council organizes its work with its staff. The Council
decides the structure and the number of the staff presented by the
President of the Council.
Article 35. The Financing of Public Television and Radio
Company Expenditure
Each year the council of the Public TV and radio company forms
the budget of the expenses of the public TV and radio company for
the following year, indicating in a separate line the sum of money
allotted to the public TV and radio company Council, Public TV
company and Public radio company, presenting it to the government of
the Republic of Armenia. The latter presents it to the RA National
Assembly for confirmation.
The Preliminary calculations for the expenditures shall satisfy the
implementation of Council's functions based on this Law.
Article 36. The Annual Statement of the Council
Before March 1 of each year, the Council introduces to the
National Assembly a statement (including a policy and financial
statement) on the previous year’s activities of the Public TV and
Radio Company.
The chairman of the Council presents the statement at the session of
the National Assembly. The statement is discussed at the session of
the National Assembly according to the procedure defined by the RA
law “Regulations of the National Assembly” and is taken into
account.
The Council shall publish the statement in the press.
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