QURGHON TEPPA, August 5, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- The Khatlon regional TV station, TV-Khatlon, has suspended broadcasting due to outstanding debt.

The source at TV-Khatlon told Asia-Plus Tuesday afternoon that the TV station has not been in operation since August 3.  The reason for the broadcasting suspension is TV-Khatlon’s outstanding debt to open joint-stock company (OJSC) Teleradiokom, which is national radio and television operator.

“The station now owes some 170,000 somoni to Teleradiokom,” said the source, “Managers of TV-Khatlon are currently conducting negotiations with specialists from Teleradiokom and TV-Khatlon will probably resume broadcasting within the next few days.”

In the meantime, the head of Teleradiokom’s branch for Khatlon Saidsho Pirov said in an interview with Asia-Plus that specialists from Teleradiokom and top managers of TV-Khatlon were currently developing a schedule of partial debt repayments and after endorsement of the schedule TV-Khatlon would resume broadcasting.

Before June 2008, TV-Khatlon had aired three hours per day on the frequency of Tajik national TV channel, Shabakai Avval (Channel One).  In June 2008, the TV station was granted separate broadcast frequency.