OSCE calls on Ukrainian government to allow independent Kharkiv broadcaster back on air

Dunja Mijatovic, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, at a press conference in Kyiv, 13 October 2010. (OSCE/Oksana Polyuga)

VIENNA, 22 September 2011 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, today urged the Ukrainian Government to help restore media pluralism in Kharkiv by allowing ATN news broadcaster back on air.

In her letter to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Gryshchenko, Mijatović said that various administrative measures had been taken to prevent ATN from securing its future broadcasting possibilities.

“Especially worrying is that Fora and ATVK, the channels that used to transmit ATN’s news, are switched off although they have valid broadcasting licenses, ” said Mijatović .

Since 14 September, Fora and ATVK channels on which ATN, the only source of TV news independent from the Kharkiv authorities, have been off air. Previously, ATN was deprived of its access to Channel 7, the third broadcaster which used to transmit its news programmes.

“I am glad that the President of Ukraine asked the Cabinet and the General Prosecutor’s office to look into the ATN case and hope that they will take resolute measures in order to allow it back on air, ” Mijatović said.