THE FALSE STORY OF “LIBERTY”
- The Armenian service of radio station “Liberty” has recently expressed anxiety and regret about the regular gross violation of freedom of speech – the most sacred value of democracy.
It turns out that the Council of the Public Television and Radio Company (PTRC) and the Public Radio have spitefully torpedoed the negotiations over signing a contract with radio station “Liberty” which, beginning February this year, has actually broadcast its programs on the Public Radio without any legal bases (without relevant contractual basis and funding). Thus, the ceaseless bell tower of liberty was “illegitimately” deprived of the opportunity of enlightening the RA citizens, i.e. reporting true “free speech” to them.
And Geoffrey Gadmin, Head of “Liberty” radio station announced that, “there are no economic or other legal bases for the possible termination this kind of effective cooperation with the Public Radio”. That’s to say, all this pursues purely political goals.
The responsive statement made by the PTRC Council was quite natural and logical after all this. According to the statement, the July 24 statement of “Free Europe/Liberty” radio station “contains a number of essential inaccuracies and does not reflect the letter and spirit of the discussions held during the past week.” In short, it does not correspond to reality.
And the reality is that the Public Television expressed good will even after the end of the term of the contract (beginning 2002) and continued to broadcast the programs of the Armenian service of “Liberty” radio station throughout the territory of Armenia. Moreover, the broadcasting was not terminated even when “Liberty” simply ceased to make payments for the services, thus accumulating overdue debts in the amount of USD 86 thousand beginning February.
As informed by the Council, this means that the programs of the radio station were broadcast neither more nor less than under the financial support of the Public Radio. That’s to say, “at the expense of the means allocated by the state budget.” In pursuance of the International practice as well as the laws regulating the sphere, the Council made a decision on July 6 to cease airing the programs of local and foreign broadcasters (“Liberty” radio station, “Mir” and “Tsayg” TV companies) on the Public Radio and the Public Television Company. In the meantime, the above-mentioned 3 companies were given a warning that the decision would become effective on August 9.
In response, the responsible representatives of “Liberty” made a request to extent the specified time-limit. The Council met them half-way again and, in addition, acted as a mediator. The delegation of the American broadcasters’ board of directors was invited to Armenia to discuss and clarify the technical capacities for broadcasting the programs of “Free Europe/Liberty” radio station via “Ar Radio” intercontinental radio company.
Moreover, it expressed willingness to reduce its broadcast hours via the FM network of “Ar Radio”. After reaching a preliminary agreement upon the issue concerned, a relevant notice was sent to Garry Thatcher, Head of the American broadcasters’ board of directors on July 24, and the next day the latter submitted the draft contract.
Unfortunately, the PTRC Council regrets to inform that at the final stage of the negotiations, before the parties could agree upon the details of the contract, the responsible representatives of radio station “Liberty” prevented the further developments from taking place. They made the above-mentioned statement, accusing the responsible representatives of the Public Radio of wrecking the talks with political considerations.
In such situation the following question, or rather, questions come up. For instance, why didn’t “Liberty” respond to PTRC warnings to renew the contract in time?
Why wouldn’t it pay for the services rendered by the Public Television and Radio Company? Why is it so persistently taking pains to broadcast its programs on the Public Radio and not on a private radio company, (“Ar Radio Company”, in this particular case) as is common in all civilized countries (even in the neighboring Georgia)?
And, after all, why do all the responsible representatives of radio station “Liberty” make preliminary statements that the negotiations have reached a deadlock? What problem are they trying to solve so assiduously, politicizing the entangled strip which is so easily soluble within the scope of the Constitution and laws of Armenia as well as the international practice.
Are they making a mountain out of the molehill to make ‘Liberty’ heard, because its voice is necessary as the air we breathe? Or vice versa, they are artificially preventing the programs of the Armenian service from being broadcast, with the purpose of recording a negative result at the expense of Armenia, thus putting the equals sign between our country and Azerbaijan?
We believe the answer is obvious.
- S. HAROUTYUNYAN
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