By VOA News
31 October 2008
Authorities in Azerbaijan say they plan to halt local broadcasts by foreign stations by the end of the year. The chairman of Azerbaijan's National Television and Radio Council, Nushiravan Maharramli, says his country is not interested in granting local frequencies to foreign broadcasters. He says the change will affect the BBC, the British Broadcasting Corporation, U.S. financed Voice of America and Radio Liberty. The official says his country has been gradually implementing changes, having previously eliminated broadcasts by Russian, French and Turkish
stations. The U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors, the federal agency responsible for all U.S. government-supported, non-military international broadcasting, says it strongly objects to the proposal. A BBG Board Member, Steven J. Simmons, says the decision follows a "disturbing pattern" that began with harsh restrictions on private broadcasters within Azerbaijan two years ago and now directly impacts international media. A spokesman for the U.S. embassy in Baku, Terry Davidson, says it will be seeking clarification of the issue from the Azerbaijani government. He said in Azerbaijan, foreign broadcasters such as the Voice of America, the BBC and Radio Liberty have contributed greatly to enriching the space for public debate and understanding.
(Some information for this report was provided by AFP.)
31 October 2008
Authorities in Azerbaijan say they plan to halt local broadcasts by foreign stations by the end of the year. The chairman of Azerbaijan's National Television and Radio Council, Nushiravan Maharramli, says his country is not interested in granting local frequencies to foreign broadcasters. He says the change will affect the BBC, the British Broadcasting Corporation, U.S. financed Voice of America and Radio Liberty. The official says his country has been gradually implementing changes, having previously eliminated broadcasts by Russian, French and Turkish
stations. The U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors, the federal agency responsible for all U.S. government-supported, non-military international broadcasting, says it strongly objects to the proposal. A BBG Board Member, Steven J. Simmons, says the decision follows a "disturbing pattern" that began with harsh restrictions on private broadcasters within Azerbaijan two years ago and now directly impacts international media. A spokesman for the U.S. embassy in Baku, Terry Davidson, says it will be seeking clarification of the issue from the Azerbaijani government. He said in Azerbaijan, foreign broadcasters such as the Voice of America, the BBC and Radio Liberty have contributed greatly to enriching the space for public debate and understanding.
(Some information for this report was provided by AFP.)
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