Yet again the authorities have made an attempt to put brakes on increasing a number of satellite TV users, including Belsat’s viewers. According to government directive No 384, unauthorized installations of satellite dishes are to be prohibited.
The Council of Ministers required residents of apartment buildings to obtain permission from local executive committees for installing satellite dishes and air conditioners on their facades or roofs. The cabinet directed that people’s applications for permission should be considered for no longer than a month. Permission denials may be appealed to court, according to the directive. Even if the installation of a satellite dish is permitted, people are still required to have their design approved by local authorities.
Fortunately, the order concerns only residents of apartment buildings and says nothing about the equipment that has been installed before, Belsat TV Director Agnieszka Romaszewska-Guzy stresses.
“Lots of our viewers live in private houses; moreover, it is still unknown if they are going to do something with the installed dishes. After the law has been implemented we’ll sum up the situation and respond properly. At least, our audience is impressive enough (regular audience for Belsat TV, i.e. persons watching us daily or some times a week, accounts for 44.5 % of all Belsat viewers); furthermore, webcast is provided as well,” the Director says.
Over half (53 %) of satellite TV viewers state that they watch Belsat TV programs, the latest public opinion survey carried out by Zerkalo-Info, an independent centre for sociological surveys, showed. A number of viewers possessing a satellite dish equals to appr. 1.76 mln and accounts for 22 % of adult television audience in Belarus.
Belsat
