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Article 32
 

Campaigning on TV and Radio

1. Candidates shall have the right to be provided with free airtime on the channels of TV and radio broadcasting corporations that fall within the provisions of Clause 9 Article 30 of this Code and broadcast TV and radio programs on the territory where elections are to be held. This airtime should occur at the time when TV and radio programs attract most of the audience, i.e. from 8 p.m. to 12 p.m.

2. The total amount of free airtime allocated by the state-owned TV and radio company for campaigning at the elections of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, deputies of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic should be not less than one hour on workdays. The total amount of free air time allocated by each local TV and radio broadcasting company for campaigning at the elections of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, deputies of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic, at the elections to representative local self-government bodies should be not less than 30 minutes on workdays, and in case if the total amount of broadcasting time of the TV and radio broadcasting company is less than two hours, the free campaigning air time should be not less than one fourth of the total amount of their broadcasting time. The said free airtime shall be distributed on equal terms among the registered candidates who arrived for the program.

3. Not less than one third of the total amount of the allocated free airtime shall be provided to candidates for holding joint discussions, round table talks and other similar campaigning actions. All candidates should have equal access to the use of this share of the allocated free airtime.

The registered candidates may participate only in person in the joint campaigning events on the channels of TV and radio corporations. Refusal to participate in a joint campaigning event shall not entail an increase in the amount of free airtime allocated to the registered candidate who refused to participate in the joint campaigning event.

If the candidate was not able to participate in the joint campaigning event due to objective reasons, then he/she together with the other candidates who failed to attend the joint campaigning event shall have the right to lodge a request asking to use their airtime.

4. TV and radio companies that come within the provisions of Clause 9 Article 30 of this Code, depending on the level of elections, shall reserve paid air time for campaigning conducted by candidates political parties, election blocs. This airtime shall be provided on a contractual basis to the corresponding candidate for pay upon their request. The amount of payment should be uniform for all candidates and shall be published not later than on the day when nomination of candidates commences. And each candidate shall have the right to obtain from the total amount of reserved airtime some time within the share due to him or her by means of dividing this volume by the total number of candidates. The total volume of the reserved airtime may not be less than the total amount of free airtime.

Reference:

CEC Decree issued on December 13th 2004 year, # 85 “On approval of Standard procedure for concluding agreements for provision of air-time (print space) for conducting of pre-election campaign in mass media and advertisement organizations on paid bases”

5. It shall be prohibited to interrupt the speeches of candidates or accompany them with any comments.

6. The regulation of the procedure for providing air time to candidates, political parties, election blocs on the channels of TV and radio companies that come within the provisions of Clause 10 Article 30 of this Code shall be established by legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic.

7. Irrespective of the form of ownership, all TV and radio companies, which gave candidates, political parties, election blocs their air time, shall be obliged in the nearest airtime to provide air time to other candidates, political parties and election blocs on the same terms (equal prices, broadcast time, amount of air time and other conditions).

8. The order, duration and time of radio and TV programs intended for pre-election campaigning shall be established by election commissions in agreement with the management of TV and radio companies and distributed in accordance with the principle of equality among candidates, political parties and election blocs.

(In the edition of the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic issued on January 24th 2004 year No. 7)

Reference:

CEC Decree issued on August 13th 2004 year, # 44 “On the order of taking slots in distributing free air-time”