OREANDA-NEWS. October 12, 2012. The Prime Minister Mykola Azarov considers inadmissible deteriorating conditions coverage and broadcasting national channels. He said this at a meeting on issue of broadcasting programs of TRC "TeleRadioSvit" [TVi Channel] in cable networks. Participating in the meeting were Chairman of the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting Oleksandr Kurdinovych, Chairman of the National Council for Radio and Television Volodymyr Manzhosov, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Andriy Olefirov.

During the meeting, Prime Minister expressed concern over the results of monitoring of program service providers conducted by the National Council regarding removal certain TV channels from the TV program packages, in particular, TVi Channel.

Mykola Azarov addressed to the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting with a proposal that along with program service providers (cable operators) to review principles of forming of packages in favor of domestic broadcasters, to avoid deteriorating conditions and coverage broadcasting of national TV channels, including TVi Channel, take stipulated by the Ukrainian legislation sanctions for willfully in breach of contract with the broadcaster and without the knowledge of the National Council, removal TV channels from TV program packages by providers.

"We have to sort out this fact, which TVi Channel users draw our attention to. It is a matter of the refusal of certain providers to connect this Channel into cable networks. I sent a letter to all those involved in this issue, including the National Council for Television and Radio Broadcasting so that we provided the possibility of work for this Channel," Mykola Azarov said during the meeting.

In the letter addressed to the heads of companies-cable operators, the Prime Minister requested to find an opportunity to TVi Channel to broadcast via cable networks. "Freedom of speech is a basic principle of democracy, the main factor in the development of society, and especially important is to ensure this at a time when citizens determine one's own choice ahead of the voting for deputies to the Verkhovna Rada," the letter reads in part.

Mykola Azarov stressed that it is need to do everything possible so that there has not been the slightest rebukes in our country what some kind of political force or some kind of the mass media somehow are limited in terms of work in the domestic market of television productions, TV service provision as well. "The government has paid and will continue to be given attention to the media development," he underscored.

The Prime Minister recalled the Government has recently approved the Concept of development of "Culture" TV Channel, supports the implementation of digital technologies in the media, the Ukrainian version of Euronews TV channel, etc.