The draft amendments to the Television and Radio Broadcasting Law in Azerbaijan have been submitted to the President’s Office, National Broadcasting Council chairman Nushiravan Maharramli told the Azeri-Press Information Agency.
The procedure rules for foreign broadcasters have been made more concrete. The proposals say a foreign broadcaster can broadcast through an allotted frequency with the permission of the Council. Besides, the Council has to be informed before a TV channel is sold or bought because the property can be sold but the licence can’t be sold. The licensee-to-be should be eligible to receive the right to broadcast.
Furthermore, if a TV broadcaster breaks the law three times, the Council will file a request with a court to shut it down.
“The law increases the authority of the Council. A broadcaster can be closed for a month, a year and even a licence can be withdrawn in Europe. Regrettably, the Council has had no right to do it in Azerbaijan. We therefore suggested that the Council should be entitled to stop the broadcaster temporarily,” he said.
(Source: Azeri-Press Information Agency)
