On April 1, the RA Central Electoral Commission (CEC) approved the procedure and the timeline for public broadcasters to provide air to parties/party bloc, running in the May 5, 2013 elections to Yerevan Council of Elderly.
As we have reported, in line with the RA Electoral Code during the official pre-election campaign (April 7- May 3, 2013) each party/bloc is entitled to 30 minutes of free and 50 minutes of paid airtime on the Public Television of Armenia, as well as to 50 minutes of free and 80 minutes of paid airtime on the Public Radio of Armenia (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, March 8-14, 2013). According to the CEC’s decision, the broadcast of political advertising on the Public TV will start at 18.00, while on Public Radio – at 13.30. The promotional airtime duration for each party/bloc is defined as follows: on April 7-10 – one minute of free and of paid airtime on Public TV, one free minute and up to 2 paid minutes on Public Radio; on April 11-30 – one minute of free and up to 2 minutes of paid airtime on Public TV, and 2 free minutes and up to 3 paid minutes on Public Radio; on May 1-3 – 2 minutes of free and up to 2 minutes of paid airtime on Public TV, and 2 free minutes and up to 4 paid minutes on Public Radio. It should also be noted that 6 parties and one party bloc are running for seats in the Yerevan Council of Elderly: “Arakelutyun”, “Prosperous Armenian”, “Barev, Yerevan” bloc of parties, “Armenian National Congress”, ARF-Dashnaktsutyun, Republican Party of Armenia, “Orinats Yerkir”.
