Armenia discusses introduction of rating system for TV channels and programs

YEREVAN, October 19. /ARKA/. Armenian National Assembly’s Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sport Issues approved today a set of amendments to law On Audiovisual Media, which call for creation of a system to rate television channels and programs.

"This legislative initiative is based on the legal acts and experience of the regional countries, as well as EU member states. The most successful experience was recorded in France, as well as in Israel, Great Britain and the USA," said the author of the legislative initiative, head of the Committee  Sisak Gabrielyan.

According to the legislative initiative, the authorities are  to create a toolkit for studying the available TV audience, to set up an Industrial Committee, as well as a price scale for  the advertising market. This, according to the parliamentarian, is very important for the beneficiaries of the advertising market.

The Industrial Committee will conduct studies and make measurements through specialized structures on the basis of unified standards.

The Committee will include large advertisers, as well as  audiovisual broadcasting companies- all from private sector. It will have no representative of the government.

The Committee will have to select organizations on a competitive basis, which will carry out rating measurements by using specified criteria.

In turn, the TV companies, which work in the public multiplex, by a majority of votes will have to undertake to form a council that will choose an organization that will carry out rating measurements, on the basis of which advertising will be distributed. -0-