Television and Broadcasting

The markets of television and broadcasting, or the markets of broadcasting and transmitting audio and visual programs, function in the infrastructure of the television, radio and information environment of Ukraine and, depending on the branch affiliation, are watched over at the state level by the National Council on Television and Broadcasting, the Ministry of Information of Ukraine, the State Committee of Ukraine on Television and Broadcasting, the State Committee of Ukraine on Communications.

The situation that arose in Ukraine at present is characterized by the fact that television, radio and communication networks and means of broadcasting are in monopoly ownership of the state that also exercises control over natural radio frequency resources of the country.

The system of the state television and broadcasting, in particular, includes:

the National Television Company of Ukraine that broadcasts within two national channels, namely UT-1 and UT –2;

the National Radio Company of Ukraine that broadcasts three national programs and one program in foreign languages;

26 regional television and broadcasting companies that broadcast during limited periods within the channel GRT and through not very powerful transmitters in regional centres;

the creative Amalgamation “Ukrtelefilm.”

The system of non-state television and broadcasting is represented by television and broadcasting organizations (different from the point of view of their purposes, equipment, volumes of broadcasting and creative potentialities), including nearly 100 television and 40 radio companies which are situated in regional centers.

On the national and regional markets of broadcasting TV and radio programs, competitive relations take shape, competitive struggle for the consumer, i.e. for the TV viewer and the radio listener, takes place. The consumer quality of every TV and radio program is defined by its artistic level, actuality etc. and can be reflected in ratings based on materials of sociological and other researches.

Cable and satellite broadcasting are separate segments of the product markets of television and broadcasting.

Peculiarities of cable and satellite television and broadcasting result from the necessity for development of cable (wire) network, introduction of special equipment, solution of the technical problem of combination of ether broadcasting with cable broadcasting. The mentioned circumstances give certain grounds to consider the markets of cable broadcasting as such markets that have the signs of natural monopoly.

The insufficient normative and legal basis that regulates relations among subjects of the markets significantly complicates formation of fair competition on the markets of cable broadcasting and, generally speaking, their development. In particular, in the course of introduction of systems of cable television there are cases when consumers are deprived of the possibility to make a choice with respect to the use of antennae of collective reception that insure guaranteed reception of ether television programs while payments for their use are considerably lower in comparison with those for services of cable television.

Ex. 1. Read and translate the text.

Ex. 2. Answer the following questions:

1. In what infrastructure do the markets of television and broadcasting function?

2. What does the system of the state television and broadcasting include?

3. How is the system of non-state television and broadcasting represented?

4. What gives certain grounds to consider that the markets of cable broadcasting have the signs of natural monopoly?

5. What factors complicate formation of fair competition on the markets of cable broadcasting?

Ex. 3. Read the following false statements and correct them:

1. There is no such organization in Ukraine that can watch over the markets of broadcasting and transmitting audio and visual programs.

2. The system of non-state television and broadcasting is located in the big cities.

3. The competitive relations don’t take place on the national and regional markets of broadcasting TV and radio programs.

4. Peculiarities of cable and satelite television don’t have any signs of natural monopoly.

5. The insufficient normative and legal basis that regulates relations among subjects of the markets significantly simplifies formation of fair competition on the markets of cable broadcasting.

Ex. 4. Translate the text into Ukrainian:

All state television and radio organizations and the bulk of non-state organizations lease technical means of broadcasting, radio relay and wire networks of broadcasting form the State Concern “RRT.”

Television and radio organizations form their programs in audio and visual broadcasts, using some types of TV and radio products, including those of their production, licensed TV and radio products as well as products purchased from a TV and radio producer (studio). As the effective legislation provides for, a TV and radio broadcast is an object of copyright of a TV and radio organization.

Geographic limits of the markets of television and broadcasting are defined by the territory to which programs are broadcast, i.e. the territory where the programs are received with confidence.

Product limits of the markets are defined by the topic trend of programs, by their consumer cost that reflects tastes and depends on the audience of consumers (programs for children and young people, information, analytic, art, entertaining programs, etc.).

The results of the research of position of entities on the national markets of television and broadcasting having been taken into account, it was established, proceeding from the volume of a 24 hour stable broadcasting, the level of professionalism concerning programs of an information and analytic trend as well as the possibilities of technological and organization support, that the National Television Company of Ukraine and the National Radio Company of Ukraine were leaders. The TV and Radio Companies “ICTV”, “NART”, “INTER,” “GRAVIS,” “TONIS,” the TV Companies “TET,” “YUTAR,” “KYIV” also play essential role in the TV and radio space of the country.

On the national and regional markets of broadcasting TV and radio programs, competitive relations take shape, competitive struggle for the consumer, i.e. for the TV viewer and the radio listener, takes place. The consumer quality of every TV and radio program is defined by its artistic level, actuality etc. and can be reflected in ratings based on materials of sociological and other researches.

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