On 4 August 2017, the installation of a 134-metre tower near the village Bakhmutivka of Novaidar Raion, Luhansk Oblast, was completed.
Yurii Stets, Minister of Information Policy of Ukraine, claimed that, owing to the new tower, which is due to start operating in a few weeks, the effectiveness of Ukrainian television in the area would increase in terms of quality.
“The tower in Bakhmutivka became the third tower constructed in the past two years in order to develop broadcasting in Kherson, Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts,” Stets concluded.
“Owing to this, the number of people having access to Ukrainian TV and radio channels has increased severalfold.”
According to the Minister, calculations show that it is thanks to the launch of a television and radio transmitter that the audience of Ukrainian TV and radio channels will increase to 85,000-90,000 people in Luhansk Oblast.
“The population coverage will increase by 102 percent for Ukrainian radio channels, and by more than 450 percent for Ukrainian television. Ukrainian digital television broadcasting after the DVB-T2 standard will be restored.
“These figures are important since we are talking about people living on the ‘line of demarcation’,” Stets added.
Yurii Artemenko, Chairman of the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine, noted that, at the first stage, 3 analogue channels, 7 digital channels and 4 FM frequencies had been allocated to the transmitter in Bakhmutivka.
“Primarily, the broadcasting of the programmes of the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine will be ensured, that is UA:First, Ukrainian Radio, regional programmes LOT and Pul’s (Pulse), as well as Army FM, the radio channel of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine,” Artemenko said.
“Generally, the broadcasting of 12 national and local TV channels, as well as 4 radio channels, will be organized at the first stage. Their number will be increasing gradually.”
Please be reminded that the development of broadcasting in the ATO area and in Crimea is carried out as part of the Committee on Ensuring the Stable Functioning of the National Television and Radio Broadcasting System under the Ministry of Information Policy of Ukraine.