Georgian Russian Language Station's Broadcasts Suspended

The suspension of PIK's broadcasting license comes shortly after it transmitted silent newscasts in protest at alleged unpaid salaries by a public broadcaster.

The only Russian-language TV channel in Georgia says it has been forced to suspend broadcasts due to a quarrel with its funder, the country's public broadcasting system.

The PIK TV channel's head of information services, Ekaterine Kotrikadze, says the public broadcasting system revoked their bilateral contract, under which PIK is allowed to use the system's satellite transmission facilities.

Georgia's public broadcaster has accused PIK of illegally using a satellite transmitter it had no right to use.

The halt to PIK's broadcasts comes after PIK broadcast silent newscasts in protest over what the station's employees say is the public broadcaster's delays in paying salaries.

The TV channel was launched in January 2010 to broadcast mainly to Russia's North Caucasus republics.

With reporting by Interpress News