November 14, 2007
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The National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine is regranting one of two “Studio 1+1” TV channel’s broadcasting license because of the change of the company’s ownership structure |
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The National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine came to a decision about the necessity of regranting one of two “Studio 1+1” TV channel’s broadcasting license in the context of the change of the company’s ownership structure. The question of regranting the second license of “Studio 1+1” is pending, because the Ukrainian law doesn’t allow broadcasting companies to hold two license of the same category. “We haven’t made a decision about the second license of the TV channel, because the Television and Radio Broadcasting Act as amended doesn’t allow broadcasting companies to hold two license of the same category”, informed Vitaliy Shevchenko, the Head of the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine, at the briefing meeting which took place on 14 November. Yuriy Plaksiuk, the Deputy Head of the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine, told that the Council decided to regrant the 15-hours “Studio 1+1” broadcasting license with the change of the company’s founders structure. The examining of the application for regranting the second (9-hours) license was postponed under Section 35 of the Television and Radio Broadcasting Act, which tells about the regranting of license. The reason is that the application mentions the change of the company’s ownership structure, but doesn’t mention the change of the TV channel’s programming concept, which actually took place. That license had been given to the TV channel to cover the work of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Parliament) and the organs of local self-government. As far as the TV channel doesn’t dedicate all 9 hours to these issues, it should change its programming concept in the application. At the moment “Studio 1+1” has two possible ways out. The first option is to bring the programming of the TV channel into compliance with its license and then send to the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine the application for joining both broadcasting license in one. The second option is to hand in the application for the change of the TV channel’s programming concept before applying for joining broadcasting license. But the second option may not be approved by the Council because “Studio 1+1” obtained the license in the competition with certain terms. Viktor Ponedilko, the member of the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine, said that it would make sense to open new competition upon new terms. The application for the regranting of the broadcasting license was made in the context of the change of the company’s ownership structure. According to the licensing documents, “Studio 1+1” was previously owned by the foreign enterprise Inter Media (30%) and Oleksandr Rodnians’ky (70%). New company’s owners are: Media Services Ukraine ltd. (42%), the foreign enterprise Inter Media (30%), and Oleksandr Rodnians’ky (28%). Let’s mention that “Studio 1+1” TV channel has three broadcasting license: 9-hours, 15-hours, and satellite 24-hours. The satellite broadcasting license was regranted by the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine on 24 October of this year. “Studio 1+1” is the nationwide Ukrainian-language TV channel. Launched in September 1995. In the first half of 2007 year, the audience of the channel (people from 4 years) amounted to 15,95%. Covering 95% of the territory of Ukraine. Net profit in the first half of 2007 year was $40,78 million, EBITDA was minus $1,8 million.
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