During the meeting, organized jointly with the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting, working realias of radio organizations as well as the issues connected with provision of radio services and emergency population warning were discussed. Participants analyzed the work of state radio companies noting that their chronic underfunding is the main problem, since it threatens with termination of broadcasting.
The Committee Chair stressed that “it seems today that either consciously or not, systematic destruction of a single resource promoting Ukrainian history, culture and traditions is taking place. The fact that during the previous year the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Ukraine failed to issue any license for FM-broadcasting in big cities to the National Radio Company and 9 regional radio companies still do not have FM band also testifies to the abovementioned fact”.
M.Tomenko criticized budget financing of the National Radio Company for 2013, naming it “survival financing or preparation to bankruptcy”. According to him, this led to shutdown of almost a third of the National Radio Company Broadcasting for a few days at the beginning of February. He noted also that due to joint efforts of the specialized Committee, publicity and experts, they managed to bring back radio broadcasting in Ukrainian, but the problem is still to be addressed. “Thus, we should demand the increase in funding of the National Radio Company during reconsideration of the State Budget and raise issue of expending its FM broadcasting band,” summed the Committee Chair.
Participants of the meeting noted also that the State Budget for 2013 stipulates UAH 64,766 million for broadcasting of TV and radio programs produced for state needs, which is UAH 124,66 million less than in 2012.
It was said that lack of radio frequency resources remains one of the most urgent problems of state-owned television and radio organizations.
The speakers noted that starting from 1990s, the system of wire broadcasting is gradually loosing its support and population, as well as enterprises massively refuse these services.
Summing up the discussion, participants stressed the need to: provide 100% coverage to the National Radio Company of Ukraine (NRCU) broadcasting on the territory of the country and modernize the existing system of radiofrequency signal transmission, etc.