1 plus 1 TV channel under threat of license deprivation – channel's statement
Presidential administration of Ukraine is trying to influence the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine to cancel its decision to extend the broadcasting license for the 1 plus 1 TV channel.
This is stated in the address of management and staff of 1 plus 1 TV channel in the name of the president, the speaker of the Verkhovna Rada and the prime minister of Ukraine, the website of the TV channel posted on Thursday.
"During the last two weeks we have been receiving pieces of information from reliable sources that the presidential administration is trying to influence the decision of the National Council and to transfer ownership of the channel to third parties," the appeal says.
As stated in the text, the National Council on TV and Radio Broadcasting on December 15 unanimously voted for the renewal and extension of the license for the channel, however, the license hasn't been renewed yet.
"The 1 plus 1 channel had not received reprimands or complaints from the part of the National Council. Therefore, we do not understand why on the day of termination of the analogue license (on December 29) and after we made a payment of the license fee, we are still not only in a position of uncertainty, but also face the threat of broadcasting shutdown or an appointment of some strange new channel leadership that is nonsense for a private company," the statement says.
Holding company of 1 plus 1 Media has control over the following channels: 1 plus 1, 2 plus 2, TET, PlusPlus and Unian TV, as well as the news agency UNIAN, Internet projects Glavred and Telekritika. The main owner of the group is a businessman Ihor Kolomoisky.