Regulator delays, but ultimately issues a certification till 2014.
Broadcasting Council issued Volia-Cable a license authorizing the cable company to broadcast television programming through its Kyiv network until 2014.
Volia-Cable, which continued broadcasting despite the conflict, applied for the license in the spring. The media regulator issued the cable company a license on Oct. 16.
In a July 4 decision, the council approved issuing a license to Volia-Cable, which paid for it the same day. In accordance with Ukrainian law, the council should have issued the license by July 14, but didn’t for unknown reasons, said Volia-Cable spokesperson Oleh Pashkevych.
For months the company has protested the delay, accusing the council of violating legislation. Volia-Cable officials said that if left unresolved, the situation could force them to halt cable broadcasting.
“From a certain aspect, we violated the law, but we wrote [letters to numerous government bodies] arguing our case and asking for intervention – we fulfilled our obligations but the council did not issue us the license on time,” Pashkevych said.
“They have still not explained why the delay occurred.”
The council was not able to respond to inquiries by the time the Post went to press.
Volia-Cable had in previous years had a license, but the council this year unveiled a licensing system requiring all broadcasters to reapply for new licenses, Pashkevych added.
Volia-Cable controls about 80 percent of cable television services in Kyiv.
U.S. equity investment fund manager SigmaBleyzer has pumped more than $40 million into the company since 2000.
Volia-Cable is a part of the Volia group of companies, which operate a broadband cable and Internet network in Kyiv, and traditional analog cable access services in about 80 percent of the capital.
The company has more than 500,000 subscribers in Kyiv, a city of just under 4 million.
Its network gives the company access to 800,000 potential subscribers.
