TV channels "Priamiy" and "Channel 5" appealed to the National Security and Defense Council and the National Council for Television and Radio Broadcasting with a request to give them a time slot in the Yedyni Novyny telethon, which may become vacant after the termination of the participation of the TV channels of the Media Group holding Ukraine."
The channels published their statement on their websites.
"Employees, journalists and editorial teams of "Priamyi" and "Channel 5" once again express their readiness to participate in the production of content and broadcasts of the telethon," the statement reads.
The channels recalled that on March 19, the management of "Free Media" LLC appealed to the National Council, the National Security Council and the Ministry of Culture with a request to provide part of the airtime in the national marathon and to include them in the editorial team, but this did not happen. TV channels were told that there was no free slot, and on April 4 they were excluded from digital broadcasting.
"Priamyi" and "Channel 5" stated that "no official has yet taken responsibility for disconnecting TV channels from the digital airwaves and has not explained on what legal grounds this happened." Currently, the channels want to occupy free slots after the termination of participation in the marathon of the "Ukraine" media group.
- On April 4, the TV channels "Espresso", "Priamyi" and "Channel 5" announced in an open letter that the Concern of Radio Broadcasting, Radio Communications and Television turned off their broadcasts. Journalists of the channels stated that the decision was made by the Office of the President. They consider it illegal, because "there is no document that would give the RRT concern reasons to turn off TV channels from broadcasting at night." The National Broadcasting Council did not publish any decisions at that time.
- The State Service of Special Communications explained that it turned off the digital airwaves of Espresso, Priamyi, and Channel 5 in compliance with the decision of the National Security Council.
- The Presidentʼs Office announced that these TV channels, which belong to Petro Poroshenkoʼs pool, were turned off due to the "narcissism" of the fifth president of Ukraine.