National Radio and Television Council extends license for 1+1 TV station
Ukraine's National Radio and Television Council (NRTC) has said 1+1 TV channel's license for continued broadcasting has been reformulated and extended for seven years. The agency's regulator has asked not to politicize the issue.
"Two months ago, on December 15, 2016, the license for 1+1 TV for continued broadcasting was unanimously approved by NRTC members," says a note on the website of the regulator.
According to Article 33 of the Law on Radio and Television broadcasting, a copy of the license to broadcast with the extended dates is given to the licensee not earlier that on the last working day of the end of the previous license, if all license fees have been paid, that is, not earlier than December 29.
Article 32 of the law provides for the license to be given to the licensee after license dues are collected, as per NRTC written procedures defined by the council for handing budget funds. A copy of the state organ processing the payment is confirmation that the licensee fee has been paid. The document received on December 26. NRTC says 1+1 TV should receive its new license not later than January 2017.
NRTC said it provided confirmation the end beneficiary of the 1+1 TV has not changed.
"We ask you not to look for a political scandal here. The process began on December 15, 2016 when 1+1 TV's license was extended for seven years. NRTC acted and will continue to act exclusively within the framework of existing legislation," NRTC's regulator said.
NRTC Chairman Yuriy Artemenko earlier told the Kyiv-based website Detector Media that 1+1 TV can continue broadcasting, even without a hard copy of the new license.
As earlier reported, on Wednesday evening 1+1 TV posted a letter signed by executives of the channel addressed to the president and prime minister, saying the Presidential Administration was attempting to pressure NRTC to revoke 1+1 TV's license.
"During the last two weeks we have received information from reliable sources blaming namely the Presidential administration for attempting to transfer control of the channel.
According to the letter, NRTC on December 15 unanimously voted to reformat and extend licenses for the channel, but has yet to do so.