Authorities to Open New TV Channel Next to H1

The authorities have decided to establish a new television channel. According to sources from Irakanum.am, the new channel will differ in some aspects from traditional television formats and will be exclusively news-oriented. It is reported that it will be created on the basis of the Public Television Company.

As is known, the current government has had a strained relationship with the press and is attempting to strengthen its position in the media landscape, especially as early elections are planned in the near future. Preparations are already underway for the opening of this government television channel.

It is possible that they will participate in the competition announced by the National Commission for TV and Radio (NCTR) and acquire a frequency for broadcasting in the capital. It should be noted that on January 15, the members of the NCTR distributed points among the television companies that applied for national and capital broadcasting slots in a closed and secret regime. As a result, five TV channels received national broadcasting rights, while another seven received capital slots.

One television company that participated in the competition did not earn enough points, and the NCTR plans to announce a new competition in a month. For the capital’s broadcasting frequency, applications were submitted by “Dar 21,” “New Armenia,” and “Shant Sport,” which is the sports channel of “Shant” TV. The Public Television Company also applied for a 24-hour news channel frequency, along with the newly established “Artmedia” channel. Subsequently, the Public Television Company withdrew its application. It became known that H1 withdrew its bid for this reason.

Currently, renovations are underway for the new TV channel's building and studios.