No headache: only good news
Exactly 11 years ago this day-April 2, "A1 +" TV channel was deprived of the blue screen and it is not a secret for anyone who ordered it.
During the competition of frequencies purely information-oriented "A1 +" was defeated. The winner was "Sharm" company specialized in entertainment programs that promised to bring another culture to TV world.
By April 2, 2002 "A1 +" provided broadcast to those opposition members, protesters, civil activists raising social problems who had been rejected by another TV channels.
"A1 +" was the first to inform the public that in September, 2001 in "Aragast" cafe a murder was committed with the participation of Robert Kocharyan's bodyguards. The experts are convinced that "A1 +" was never forgiven for this. Besides, according to the experts, with the banning of the air of "A1 +" Robert Kocharyan was going to take the chair of RA president in 2003 again without excessive noise and unnecessary headache.
Robert Kocharyan who had occupied RA president position then said in those days:
"I like "A1 +" news program, but it does not mean that "A 1 +" company should be out of the competition, the competition should be for all of us".
Robert Kocharyan suggested not to raise alarm since he did not have anything against media sphere, the banning of air of "A1 +" had been done according to the law.
Vardan Harutyunyan who was the defender of the rights of "A1 +" during one of the civil protest actions announced: "I want to remind you that during fascist Germany, Jews were also massacred in the framework of the law".
During the next days of "A1+" the international structures made a statement that in Armenia freedom of speech was limited. 14 news organizations demanded Robert Kocharyan to return the airtime to "A1 +" however 17 of them mentioned that without "A1 +" in Armenia would not exist threat of violation of freedom of speech.
After the first competition of frequency "A1+" made 13 attempts of air return. Anyway in all cases TV and Radio National Commission head Gregory Amalyan rejected the appeals of "A1 +" even after the declaration of the European Court in 2008 that according to the European Convention the banning the broadcast of "A1 +" was a violation of freedom of speech in Armenia.
Today "A1 +" has a right of 20 minute airtime on one of the TV channels.
Soon Gregory Amalyan competencies' deadline will be completed in TV and Radio National Commission, however it is a fact that in the official website of "Sharm" holding there is not even a line to describe that this organization had a TV channel with the name of "Center" , which 11 years ago was promising and assuring to create appropriate TV cahnnel for 21st century citizen of the Republic of Armenia
