Major TV stations in Armenia, in a statement issued today, have criticized the state-owned Armenia Television and Radio Broadcasting Network (ATRBN) for pulling several of them off the air for not paying their broadcast fees.

The affected stations include Armenia TV, A-TV, Shant, Dar-21, "Free News and Fortuna TV.

The stations claim their advertising revenues have been significantly reduced of late due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 Karabakh war and legislative restrictions.

“New legislative requirements - the strict protection of copyright, the absolute provision of the priority volume and content of programs broadcast in the state language, Armenian, on television imply additional financial resources, the lack or scarcity of which has significantly increased the cost of preparing a television program,” the statement reads.

The stations say the timing of the cancellation is worrying since they will not be able to cover the upcoming Yerevan municipal elections.

The stations argue that the Armenian constitution ensures the right of citizens to receive information in a timely and uninterrupted manner.

They say the ATRBN, an arm of the Ministry of High-Tech Industry, should not be regarded as “a business entity that collects money, but a body that develops and implements information policy.”

The stations call on the National Assembly, the government and the Commission on Television and Radio Armenia (an independent regulatory body) to discuss the matter with them and come up with solutions by the year’s end.