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It is proposed by the initiative to give an opportunity to the public broadcaster to have one slot with nationwide cover without license and in the public multiplex. The deputy of the Civil Contract Faction Sisak Gabrielyan said, presenting the amendment to the law on Audiovisual Media According to him, at this moment the public broadcaster has a News Channel broadcasting in the capital.

According to the author, the international inquiries of the last four years showed that the Public TV Company is observed the most watched and most objective one among the public. Taking into consideration the fact that the budget of the same TV Company is created from the taxes paid by the citizens of the whole republic, it is purposeful that the public broadcaster becomes the one all over the republic.

Answering the deputies’ questions, Sisak Gabrielyan touched upon the necessity of the adoption of the draft, the substantiation of providing the channel without providing competition and licensing.

In a co-report, the member of the Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sport Hasmik Hakobyan noted that the initiative was debated at the Committee and was endorsed. According to the MP, legal bases are created to make available the First News Channel being broadcast by the Public TV Company of Armenia CJSC broadcasting in the capital in the whole territory of the republic. It was noted that the NA Expertise and Analytical Department

underwent to legal, financial-economic and social examination and did not reveal problematic norms.

The RA Minister of High-Tech Industry Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, representing the positive position of the Government. According to him, the Ministry is for creating technical possibilities for broadcasting in the republic the Public News Channel.

It was noted that the TV channels with republican broadcasting monthly pay 6 million AMD instead of 1.5 million AMD for broadcasting in the capital. “This means that the Public TV should envisage additional expenditure on its own expenses regarding the amendment,” the Minister underscored and added that neither the RA 2024 state budget nor the RA 2025-2027 medium-term state expenditure programme provides funds for the Public TV Company.

The draft was debated in the first reading at the sitting of the National Assembly on March 19.