DUSHANBE, April 16, 2009, Asia-Plus — The decision on terminating a deal allowing RTR-Planeta to broadcast in the country is not final and the Committee for TV and Radio-broadcasting is ready to consider proposal of the All-Russia State Television and Radio Company (VGTRK or RTR) to resume RTR-Plantea’s rebroadcasting in Tajikistan, the first deputy head of the Committee for TV and Radio-broadcasting Abdurahmon Abdumannonov remarked at a news conference in Dushanbe on April 16.
“If there are official proposals from VGTRK’s administration, we are ready to consider them,” said Abdumannonov, “We have never said that the decision on terminating the deal allowing RTR-Planeta to broadcast in the country is final. We are ready to negotiate the issue if there are real and specific proposals.”
Asked to which local TV company the frequency previously used by RTR will be given if VGTRK does not make any acceptable proposal, Abdumannonov said that the issue of giving that frequency to one of local TV companies was still under consideration and there were companies that would like to broadcast on that frequency. However, he did not name any company.
We will recall that Tajik authorities decided to yank RTR-Planeta’s programming in early April. Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, the deputy head of the Committee for TV and Radio-broadcasting, Samad Hikmatov, said on April 2 that RTR-Planeta’s rebroadcast has been halted in the country through fault of VGTRK. According to him, Russian broadcasters have had enough time to resolve all technical and financial issues. He said they had sent letters to the VGTRK executive, asking to support their suggestions on the increase of rebroadcast tariffs. The last official letter was sent on February 17, but ever since, the Tajik side has received no answer, he added. In explaining the official decision, the head of the Committee for TV and Radio-broadcasting Asadullo Rahmonov said RTR-Planeta did not have a valid contract covering broadcasting rights in Tajikistan for 2009, adding that the channel also owed Tajikistan 4.8 million Russian rubles for relaying services.
In the meantime, the VGTRK expresses concern about termination of RTR-Planeta’s rebroadcasting in Tajikistan. The statement released by VGTRK’s press service on April 10 said that in January, the Tajik side decided to increase the relay service payments by 50 percent and realizing importance of presence in an information space of friendly Tajikistan the RTR executives agreed to consider the 50 percent tariff increase although the proposal was made after the beginning of the fiscal year. The RTR executives have prepared a package of documents on conclusion of a new contract, the statement said, noting that the VTRK paid off arrears for 2008. The company cannot make relay service payments for this year because a new contract has not yet been signed. The VGTRK noted that it intended to take measures to resume the rebroadcasting of RTR-Planeta in Tajikistan.
