YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2006
HIGHLIGHTS:
“PRESS CLUB+”: ARF “DASHNAKTSUTIUN” ABOUT ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS AND
CORRUPTION
11TH ATTEMPT OF “A1+” TO GO BACK ON AIR
ANNUAL REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL PRESS INSTITUTE RELEASED
PARLIAMENT IS UNWILLING TO RECONSIDER RELATIONS WITH PUBLIC TV
THE SUIT OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION CENTER VS ARMAVIR MUNICIPALITY
SATISFIED
MDI CONFERENCE: AMSTERDAM MEETING OF SOUTH CAUCASUS MEDIA DECISION MAKERS
BROCHURE FOR THE “THIRD SECTOR”
“ARMYANKA” MAGAZINE FOR WOMEN
“PRESS CLUB+”: ARF “DASHNAKTSUTIUN” ABOUT ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS AND
CORRUPTION
On April 4 fourth “Press Club+” talk show went on “Yerkir Media” evening
air.
The guests of Aram Abrahamian, program host, Chief Editor of “Aravot” daily,
were leaders of Armenian Revolutionary Federation “Dashnaktsutiun”. As
experts, representatives of NGOs were invited. The TV discussion was on
Armenian-Turkish relations and fighting corruption in Armenia.
Earlier, on March 28, second issue of “Press Club” was aired on “Yerkir
Media” TV. The representatives of media and journalistic associations of
Armenia discussed two hot topics: media coverage of interethnic problems;
strained relations of the Council of Public TV and Radio Company and RA
National Assembly, legally obliging the First Channel of the Public
Television to broadcast parliamentary programs on a concrete day and time.
It is planned that next Tuesday, April 11, at 21.00 representatives of the
Popular Party of Armenia will share their opinion at “Press Club+”.
11TH ATTEMPT OF “A1+” TO GO BACK ON AIR
On March 27 the deadline of the bids for the radio broadcast licensing
competitions expired. The competitions were announced by the National
Commission on Television and Radio on December 27, 2005. As it has been
reported, two vacant FMs of Yerevan – 90.3 and 90.7 MHz were introduced (see
YPC Weekly Newsletter, December 23-29, 2005).
Among the applicants for the both frequencies is the founder of “A1+” TV
company, “Meltex” LLC. One more bid for each of the frequencies were
submitted by “Ulis Media” LLC on FM 90.3 MHz and “Radio Pro” LLC on FM 90.7
MHz.
The bids will be considered by the National Commission on April 7.
It is already the 11th attempt of “A1+” to go back on air. On April 2 it has
been four years since the TV company was deprived of air after refusal of a
license by the National Commission on Television and Radio. From 2002 up to
now, “A1+” has participated in all the TV broadcast licensing competitions
announced in Yerevan, and each time its bid was graded lower than the rest.
Similarly useless were its efforts to get access to at least radio air. On
February 14, 2005 based on the results of voting by the National Commission
members, “A1+” lost the competitions for two FMs of Yerevan (see YPC Weekly
Newsletter, February 11-17, 2005). The appeals of the international and
local communities to the Armenian authorities for changing their politicized
attitude to the TV company also failed to influence the situation.
Meanwhile, recently (April 4) one of the high-ranking officials, Chairman of
RA National Assembly Arthur Baghdasarian said at the press conference:
“Personally, I miss “A1+” and want “A1+” to come back (on air – Ed.). I
think that’s all there is to say.”
ANNUAL REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL PRESS INSTITUTE RELEASED
On March 30 International Press Institute (IPI), based in Vienna, published
its annual world press freedom review for 2005. Having studied the situation
in various countries, IPI concluded that “in virtually every region of the
world the media are engaged in a struggle to uphold their fundamental right
to report news”. Similarly to 2004, in 2005 journalism remained one of the
most dangerous professions: within a year, 65 journalists in 22 countries
were killed while on duty, including 23 in Iraq. Among the events mostly
influencing the freedom of press, IPI mentions the terrorist act in London
on July 7 and the political debates over the cartoons of Mohammad Prophet,
published by “Jyllands-Posten” Danish newspaper on September 30. Commenting
on the situation in general, IPI Director Johann P. Fritz notes: “A free
media has always been essential to democracy; however, 2005 saw a subtle
shift in this thinking and there is now a worrying political mindset that
views some of the media’s work as damaging to both the war on terror and
relations with Islam.”
In the section on Armenia, several cases of pressure on media and
journalists are cited. In particular, IPI refers to the continuous attempts
of the National Academy of Sciences to evict “A1+” TV company from its
premises, and that in 2006 the European Court of Human Rights will most
likely consider the suit on depriving “A1+” of air in 2002. The IPI review
also mentions the incident on the night of April 1 in Goris with the car of
Chief Editor of “Syunyats Yerkir” newspaper Samvel Alexanian burnt down.
International Press Institute also paid attention to the constitutional
reform in Armenia. The IPI review quotes the July 13 joint statement of the
seven journalistic organizations (Yerevan Press Club, Journalists Union of
Armenia, Internews Armenia, Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression,
Investigative Journalists, “TEAM” Research Center and “Asparez” Journalists’
Club of Gyumri – Ed.), which criticized the provisions of constitutional
amendments on the freedom of expression and media. In particular, it is
about inadequate guarantees for independence of the National Commission on
Television and Radio, regulating private broadcasting, and the absence of
the provisions on the formation of the Council of Public TV and Radio
Company. The IPI review runs that Media organizations on July 27 released
another joint statement, criticizing the July 21 Final Opinion of the
Council of Europe Venice Commission, which positively evaluated the latest
version of the draft of constitutional amendments, proposed by the Armenian
authorities. The review emphasizes that journalistic organizations believe,
“The Commission’s proposals on the freedom, independence, and diversity of
mass media are flawed and cannot put in place the necessary guarantees of
freedom of speech in Armenia.”
PARLIAMENT IS UNWILLING TO RECONSIDER RELATIONS WITH PUBLIC TV
In media discussions on the relations between the Council of Public TV and
Radio Company and RA National Assembly continue. As it has been reported,
the Chairman of the Council of PTRC Alexan Harutiunian sent a written
address to Speaker of the Parliament Arthur Baghdasarian with a proposal to
reconsider the Rules of Procedure of RA National Assembly. According to the
latter, the Public TV (the PTA First Channel – Ed.) is to broadcast
parliamentary programs on a concrete day and time fixed by the National
Assembly. In the opinion of the head of the Council of PTRC, this legal
obligation creates a contradiction with the charter of the European
Broadcasting Union, of which Public TV and Radio Company has been a full
member since July 2005. Namely, there is a violation of the principle of
editorial independence and the right to use the air on their own discretion
(see YPC Weekly Newsletter, March 17-23, 2006).
The letter of the Chairman of the Council of PTRC was considered at the
meeting of the Speaker of Parliament with the representatives of
parliamentary factions and groups. At the meeting it was decided that there
will be no amendments to the Rules of Procedure of RA National Assembly as
to the broadcasting of the parliamentary programs.
In the interview to “Aravot” daily (March 28, 2006), titled “The NA Forces
Want Promotional Privileges for Themselves?”, Alexan Harutiunian reminded
that the necessity to reconsider the legal provisions is conditioned not by
his personal initiative but by the requirement of the Constitution and the
European criteria of press freedom. “The deputies admitted that they are
against this proposal since elections are coming, and this argument meets my
statement that there is a gross violation of our editorial independence. It
is unacceptable that any political force, moreover a state body, attempt to
legally endorse their own privileges on air not only of the Public but also
any other TV company”, head of the Council of PTRC emphasized. Alongside
this, Alexan Harutiunian proposed new solutions. In particular, he thinks
that the relevant amendments to the law may be introduced already today,
specifying, however, that they will be enforced after the elections. He also
expressed willingness to make an agreement with the National Assembly even
right now for broadcasting the parliamentary programs under the same
conditions as stipulated by the law, so that the current restrictions be
removed from the NA Rules of Procedure.
At the April 4 press conference, National Assembly Speaker Arthur
Baghdasarian explained the decision of the parliamentary forces not to amend
the Rules of Procedure also proceeding from the “international experience”.
“In particular, the rules of procedure of Moldova, Lithuania, Italy and
other countries clearly stipulate for the manner of broadcasting the
parliamentary agenda. (…) It would be fine if we had our own TV channel,
similarly to Russia, France and other countries. However, considering that
this is pre-election year, and all types of talks, debates and speculations
are likely (…), we unanimously decided not to return to this problem”,
Speaker of RA National Assembly said.
THE SUIT OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION CENTER VS ARMAVIR MUNICIPALITY
SATISFIED
On March 21 the court of primary jurisdiction of Armavir region satisfied
the suit of the Freedom of Information Center versus Armavir Municipality.
The court obliged the city administration to provide the information
requested by this NGO. In the request filed in October 2005, the Freedom of
Information Center asked the Armavir municipality to give the copies of the
decisions, adopted by the Council of Aldermen in the second quarter of 2005
(April-June), including the annual budget and the financial report on the
execution of the budget in the second quarter of 2005. Having received no
response, Freedom of Information Center appealed to the court in February
2006. The respondent did not attend any of the three sessions (March 8, 15
and 21).
MDI CONFERENCE: AMSTERDAM MEETING OF SOUTH CAUCASUS MEDIA DECISION MAKERS
On March 28-29 in Amsterdam, South Caucasus media decision makers conference
was held. It was organized by the Media Diversity Institute (MDI), based in
London, under a three-year project “Minority Empowerment and Media
Development in South Caucasus”, which is implemented by this
non-governmental organization with the support of the European Commission
and the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Support to the event was
also rendered by a number of Dutch NGOs (De Balie Cultural Center, European
Cultural Foundation, Mira Media, Press Now), IREX-Azerbaijan, Open Society
Institute Assistance Foundation-Armenia, Open Society-Georgia Foundation.
At the conference, the results of the monitoring of Armenian, Azerbaijani
and Georgian media coverage on various minorities and socially vulnerable
groups were presented. The two-year research (2004-2006) was conducted by
MDI, jointly with the partner organizations of the three countries,
including the Yerevan Press Club. The participants of the event discussed
the role of public service broadcasting in reflecting diversity, the issues
of freedom of expression and political/religious/ethnic/racial sensibility,
prospects for joint regional media initiatives in the South Caucasus.
BROCHURE FOR THE “THIRD SECTOR”
A brochure “How to Build Relations Between Public Associations and Media?”
was issued. Its author is Levon Barseghian, the Chairman of the Council of
“Asparez” Journalists’ Club of Gyumri. The book offers practical advice for
the representatives of NGOs on collaboration with media, organizing and
holding of events for public awareness, including also the data on the
Shirak media and journalistic organizations in Armenia. The brochure is
developed by the order of the School of Civil Society, with the support of
ICCO Dutch NGO.
“ARMYANKA” MAGAZINE FOR WOMEN
On April 6 at the Journalists Union of Armenia the presentation of a new
Russian language magazine for women “Armyanka” was held. The Chief Editor of
this monthly colored edition is Narine Baghdasarian. The first issue has a
circulation of 4,000 copies on 62 pages.
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Press Club is required.
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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
Yerevan Press Club
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