Russian Channels’ Air to Be Cut Down Says Information Minister :: Charter'97 :: News

A tendency of diminished Russian channels broadcasting must be viewed as the consequence of enlargement and development of the Belarusian national television, said at the Wednesday press-conference in Minsk the Minister of information of Belarus Mikhail Podgainy.

According to the official, Belarus doesn’t pursue a goal of contracting the Russian TV air-time. “We are following the path of national TV development, gradually substituting certain programs of the Russian TV companies,” – said the Minister. In his opinion, “this tendency is common to all CIS states”.

He underscored that diminution of Russian TV air is also provoked by the economic and technical reasons. The economic one comes down to the untimely payment by Russian TV companies for the use of the Belarusian transmitters, while the technical one – to the limited frequency resources available on the territory of Belarus. In this connection the Minister pointed out that Belarus would experience a stage of active development of the national regional television, production of their own program products, as well as “potential opening of the forth national channel”.