Sosi TV in Kapan and Last TV in Goris (both towns in southern Armenia) won’t be airing any political ads during the campaign period leading up to the May 6 parliamentary elections.

The TV stations had until Mar. 5 to publicize the price of one minute of air time for political advertising during the election campaign period. However, Goris’ and Kapan’s TV stations didn’t set their rates because they decided not to offer political ads. 

Last TV director Alvard Mesropyan said her station won’t be airing political ads “purely due to the lack of technical capacities,” while Sosi TV director Vahe Sargsyan cited the price per paid minute of air time, saying, “The rate is quite low and not that profitable.”

“At present, the cost of political advertising shouldn’t exceed the average cost of commercial advertising for the previous six months. There wasn’t this restriction in the past and by studying the market at a given period, we would decide on a price and that price usually exceeded the price of commercial advertising by 2–3 times. Now we can’t set a rate higher than the commercial rate and it’s just not profitable for us,” says the Sosi TV director.

Meri Soghomonyan, Kapan