Author: Badalian Vardan

LE VOYAGE D’ARIANNA
Stephane

armenews.com
vendredi 16 mars 2012

Le journal Contra Costa Times aux Etats-Unis a publie un reportage sur
l’adoption d’une petite fille armenienne par un couple d’americains.

Age de trois ans Arianna Spiglanin vit desormais a Starbucks. Arianna
avait 9 mois quand sa mère et son père, Tom Spiglanin, l’ont ramene
d’un orphelinat a Erevan en Armenie.

Ayant essaye sans succès d’avoir un enfant le couple a choisi
finalement l’adoption. Lauren Spiglanin a suggere l’Armenie etant donne
que sa famille est armenienne et que sa soeur a adopte un fils dans
le pays il y a une decennie. Ce fût un processus long. Il y a eu des
contrôles et des etudes financières, des lettres de recommandation,
des pages de documents ayant besoin d’une traduction – pour un
coût important. Cela a commence au debut de 2007. Ce n’est que fin
decembre 2008 que la perspective d’adopter une petite fille est
devenue reelle.Le bebe etait ne le 28 novembre 2008 ; sa mère de
naissance etait morte une semaine plus tard.

” C’etait l’appel que nous attendions ” a dit Lauren Spiglanin,
46 ans. ” Le facilitateur nous a dit d’arriver en mars “.

C’etait la première fois qu’elle et son mari, 53 ans, visitaient
le pays.

” Cela a ete vraiment magique ” a dit Spiglanin. ” Je me suis senti
en paix “.

À l’epoque on leur avait dit que le bebe ne mangeait pas bien.

” Nous allions a l’hôpital et ils nous l’apportaient “a dit Spiglanin.

” Si mignonne. Son premier sourire etait a Tom “.

Arianna est nee prematurement – d’un mois, on leur avait dit – et sa
mère etait morte d’une rupture d’anevrisme a dit Spiglanin.

Le facilitateur les a presentes a la tante du bebe et ils ont appris
seulement ” des particules et des morceaux de son histoire medicale “.

Cette première visite en Armenie sera suivie par trois autres les
mois suivants avant que les Spiglanin ne deviennent les parents de
la petite fille avec des grands yeux bruns.

Mais ce n’est qu’en août 2009 – après que l’adoption ait ete achevee –
que le couple a obtenu un peu plus de reponses medicales sur leur bebe.

” Notre facilitateur a laisse une enveloppe a l’hôtel ” a dit
Spiglanin.

A l’interieur les rapports medicaux qui indiquaient que le placenta de
la mère a la naissance s’etait detache, coupant l’approvisionnenemt
d’oxygène au bebe. Les papiers ont dit que le bebe avait ete victime
d’une lourde asphyxie et d’une insuffisance de souffle aiguë.

” Essentiellement, ils disaient que le bebe a ete victime d’une
paralysie cerebrale ” a dit Spiglanin.

” Les medecins aux Etats-Unis ont dit qu’elle semblait alerte. Elle
semblait sous-alimentee. Personne n’a jamais leve la question d’une
paralysie cerebrale “.

Arianna est nee prematurement en faite de deux mois.

Les semaines et les mois qui ont suivi leur retour au pays ont ete
remplis de visites aux docteurs et de sessions de therapie. En octobre
2009, Mme Spiglanin a repris son travail avant d’etre licenciee
pour raison economique. Elle a lutte contre la depression. ” Je me
rappelle disant ” ne t’inquiète pas, Arianna, Maman s’occupera de tout
” dit-elle. ” Nous avions 13 rendez-vous par semaine. J’ai ete deprime
de l’interieur, mais je ne l’ai pas expose a l’exterieur “.

Arianna a fait d’importants progrès jusqu’a se deplacer seule dans
un trotteur.

L’automne dernier, Arianna a commence le programme prescolaire pour
des elèves ayant des besoins speciaux meme si elle compte toujours sur
ses parents pour l’alimenter. Pour les bains, elle est assise dans
une chaise. Mais sa mère a dit qu’elle a remarque des ameliorations
significatives dans son developpement depuis que l’ecole a commence.

” Elle est juste plus energique. Elle tient sa tete plus haut. Elle
s’etend pour atteindre les choses ” a dit Spiglanin. ” Elle est
beaucoup plus curieuse. La coordination des mains et des yeux est en
hausse et c’est grâce a l’ecole “.

Lauren Spiglanin a dit qu’elle ne mettait pas la faute sur le
directeur de l’orphelinat de Nork, qui loge des bebes jusqu’au 6
ans des enfants. ” Elle a pense que nous connaissions ” l’histoire
medicale a dit Spiglanin.

Mme Spiglanin passe son temps a collecter de l’argent pour creer une
vrai cour de recreation dans l’orphelinat. ” En ete, quand l’air a
Erevan est epais et humide, les enfants pourront employer le lieu
pour se rafraîchir ” a dit Mme Spiglanin.

Elle est collecte les fonds pour la Fondation a but non lucratif
Paros et a deja environ 4000 $ sur les 10000 $ necessaire.

Elle espère faire prochainement une vente aux enchères en ligne de
bijoux et diaments offerts la societe Jewelry Source ” a El Segundo.

La proprietaire Brenda Newman, qui connaissait Spiglanin quand elle
travaillait a l’Hôtel de ville, a dit qu’elle a ete emue par l’histoire
du couple.

” Je suis poussee par les parents. Ce sont eux qui font vraiment
quelque chose pour moi. Leur passion me conduit ” a dit Newman.

Contra Costa Times

900 000 CARTES BANCAIRES EN CIRCULATION EN ARMENIE
Krikor Amirzayan

armenews.com
samedi 17 mars 2012

En janvier 2012 le montant des retraits a travers les Banques
automatiques de retrait de billets a constitue 35 milliards de drams
en Armenie, selon les donnees de la Banque centrale d’Armenie. En
decembre dernier le montant des transactions a travers ces terminaux
bancaires s’etait etabli a 72 milliards de drams, un chiffre record
pour l’Armenie. La moyenne de chaque transaction s’etablit a près de
40 000 drams. En Armenie 20 des 21 banques officiellement recenses
disposent de leur carte bancaire. La seule banque qui ne dispose pas
de ce système est la banque iranienne ” Mellat Bank “. Le nombre de
cartes bancaires en circulation en Armenie est de près de 900 000 et
le nombre de distributeurs automatiques de billets est de 800.

‘TO BETTER UNDERSTAND EAST AND EAST, THROUGH THE WEST’
Jim Quilty

The Daily Star

March 16 2012
Lebanon

BEIRUT: As it’s becoming unfashionable for the state to play a
benevolent role vis-a-vis a country’s artists and cultural production,
arts funding and development organizations have begun to crop up in
this region. At times they have taken an institutional form, others
harken back to an older model of philanthropy.

The most recent of these to emerge is the Boghossian Foundation Prize
for young Lebanese artists, which is being launched this year. The
aim of the award is to reward three young Lebanese artists active
in the visual arts (painting, sculpture, photography and video),
jewelry, design and fashion design. The 2012 edition of the prize
will be limited to painting, sculpture and jewelry.

“Next year probably photography and maybe video and then music and
other disciplines, design, for example, will be added,” said Jean
Boghossian, “whatever we could call art because for us, art is the
language.”

Along with his brother Alfred, Boghossian is one of the founding
members of the prize and the foundation that has established, and
will bankroll, it.

A jury of 12 arts professionals will decide which works receive the
prize. Chaired by Albert Boghossian, the jury will include curators,
museum directors, arts educators and critics from Belgium and Lebanon.

“We try not to go with the gallerists and artists themselves,”
Boghossian said, “because we want to separate the prize from personal
interests.”

The selection process will be professionally adjudicated but not blind:
the jury will know the names of the submitting artists.

“I think they won’t do it without names,” Boghossian continued,
“because … you need to know, you need to enter into the thought
of the artist to see what he has behind his mind, how serious is the
artist, and so forth.”

The three winning artists will each receive $10,000, complete with a
spell in Brussels and an invitation to show their work there, with
complementary travel and accommodation at the foundation’s opulent
Brussels headquarters.

“During their time in Brussels, the laureates will be in association
with some academy there, depending on what their needs,” he continued,
“and how they want to do it also.”

Candidates must be 17-35 years of age and be of Lebanese nationality
or else have been resident there for five years. They must be active
in the genres favored by this year’s prize and present professional
documentation of their work to the jury. The application deadline is
May 15, with the prize-winners announced in the summer.

In setting up this prize, the Boghossian Foundation has collaborated
with Solidere, ALBA (the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts) and APEAL (the
Association for the promotion and exhibition of the arts in Lebanon).

Created in 1992, the Boghossian Foundation has been active as a
philanthropic organization supporting various educational, urban
development, artistic and cultural projects in Armenia, Syria and
Lebanon.

Not all successful families turn their wealth to philanthropy and
Boghossian says his family’s efforts were formed by their history.

“We grew up in an environment where charity was [present]. From my
grandfather’s time where they distributed bags of rice for Christmas
… Anyway we had this in us and later on we made money.

“I started in the jewelry and the precious stone business and in
1970 I was going to the far east and South America buying emeralds,
rubies and sapphires. It started at the right time because the price
of oil went up.”

Boghossian says his family moved to Brussels when Lebanon’s Civil
War broke out.

“It was easy to leave because our business is very easy to carry. …

So I went directly to Antwerp, the center of the diamond world,
and opened my office there.

“Why philanthropy? Because the earthquake happened in Armenia
in 1988-89 and we had made some money and we consider ourselves
hardworking people but that there was also some blessing,” he paused,
“… from … upstairs, that we were lucky to meet the right people at
the right time, and that we had to share also what we had made with,
first of all, the people we come from.

“To advance in this work, we decided we cannot do it on our own. We
can do more if we have partners and associates,” he adds.

Boghossian says one of the models his family emulated was that of the
Lisbon-based Gulbenkian Foundation (whose wealth derives from Middle
East oil), with whom the Boghossians partnered in the establishment
of a school in Burj Hammoud.

“Looking at Gulbenkian’s amazing grounds in Lisbon I said, ‘Well
we’re not Gulbenkian but our action is going to die with us. If
we need to leave a message to the future generations to take over,
to crystalize our action into a building.'”

The center of the Boghossians’ activities is Brussels’ Villa Empain.

Acquired in 2006 and restored (at a cost of $18 million) this art deco
palace was opened to the public in 2010 and has become the foundation’s
headquarters and a self-conscious space of East-West cultural exchange,
hosting a range of cultural and artistic events.

“The purpose wasn’t very clear in the beginning,” Boghossian said,
“because we were doing humanitarian actions, giving money, restoring a
building … We had to find the right concept for the villa. I thought,
we’re coming from a genocide. We have lived three Israeli-Arab wars. We
have lived the Civil War, whose first gunshots made me leave.

“We thought there was a need for a change in mentalities. We’ve
lived in these countries where people keep talking about politics
and nothing advances. We’ve lived in these countries where people
talk religion and still they fight. The things we think are going to
improve things end up pitting people against each other.

“We need another language, the language of tolerance, so that even if
you disagree you don’t have to hit on each other. You sit, you discuss,
you build bridges and maybe you understand each other later on.

“So let’s find this language, which is art. Create better bridges. But
the purpose is to better understand East and East, through the West.”

At the end of March Villa Empain will host “Art is the Answer,”
an exhibition of 20 Lebanese artists and designers including such
well-known names as Fouad Elkoury, Ziad Abillama Ziad Antar, Zena
el Khalil and Ayman Baalbaki. The show is slotted to be remounted at
the Beirut Exhibition Center in 2013.

“Our second exhibition was on Ottoman art,” Boghossian smiled. “Some
members of the Armenian community came to me and said, ‘you are an
Armenian, how could you have an exhibition of Ottoman art?’ I told
them this is the message of our foundation.”

“Art is the Answer” commences March 29 at Brussels’ Villa
Empain. For more information on Boghossian Foundation Prize for
young Lebanese artists, see or write
[email protected].

ARMENIA ACCUSES AZERBAIJAN IN DEATH OF SOLDIER NEAR ARMISTICE LINE

Deutsche Presse-Agentur , Germany
March 15 2012

March 15–MOSCOW — Armenia has accused neighbouring Azerbaijan of
involvement in the death of an Armenian soldier, reported local media
Thursday, citing the Armenian Defence Ministry.

The soldier’s body was found near an armistice line between the two
oft-feuding former Soviet republics. The two countries have a tense
ceasefire in effect.

CHALIAN, LEAVENS APPOINTED TO AUA SENIOR ADMINISTRATION

asbarez
Thursday, March 15th, 2012

Maral Chalian

YEREVAN-American University of Armenia President Bruce Boghosian
announced this week the addition of two new members to AUA’s Senior
Administration team: Dr. Dennis Leavens as Provost and Maral Chalian
as Vice President of Institutional Advancement.

Leavens comes to AUA from the Faculty of Humanities and Social
Sciences at United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain where he served
as Professor of English from 2005, Associate Dean from 2006, and more
recently as Interim Dean from March 2011. From 1988 until 2005, Leavens
was on the faculty of English at Truman State University in Missouri,
and from 1983-1988 he was Assistant Professor of English at Benedictine
College in Atchison, Kansas. Leavens will begin work on July 1.

Chalian comes to AUA from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, where she
was Associate Director for Major Gifts and Planned Giving. Prior
to that, she was the Principal Consultant for External Relations
and Fundraising for MC Non-Profit Consultants in Los Angeles, where
her clients included Occidental College. Chalian is familiar with
Armenia, having worked for the United Armenian Fund as Director of
Special Projects and External Relations from 1996 to 2005. She has
earned a Certificat de Langue Francaise at the Sorbonne, a BA degree
in English Literature from California State University, Northridge,
and a Certificate of Completion in Developing Major Gifts from the
Fundraising School of Indiana University. She is currently pursuing
an Executive Master of Leadership degree at the Sol Price School of
Public Policy at the University of Southern California. Chalian will
begin work in April, and will spend much time at AUA’s Oakland office
and Yerevan campus.

“We are delighted to have Dr. Leavens and Ms. Chalian join AUA’s Senior
Administration team at this important juncture in AUA’s growth,” stated
President Boghosian. “As AUA prepares for the proposed launch of its
undergraduate program in 2013, pending WASC approval, Dr. Leavens and
Ms. Chalian bring a great deal of experience and expertise to AUA’s
existing administrative capacity.”

GERMAN BUISNESSMEN INTERESTED IN MAKING NEW INVESTENTS IN ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 16, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN. MARCH 16, ARMENPRESS: Within the frameworks of the visit of
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle to Armenia, the high-ranking
officials of the delegation held March 16 a meeting with Artak
Shaboyan, Chairman of the Armenian State Commission for Protection
of Economic Competition (SCPEC).

During the meeting issues on improvement of the competitive
environment and investment field in Armenia were discussed, SCPEC told
Armenpress. Artak Shaboyan presented to delegation members the works
implemented by the commission up today, as well as the priorities
for 2012.

Getting acquainted with the statistics of the commissions’ activity and
main directions of the work, Stephan Auer, Director for Globalization,
Energy and Climate Policy at the Federal Foreign Office, welcomed
the activity of SCPEC and stressed that the steps taken are very
important not only for favorable competitive environment in the
country but for involvement of foreign investments as well.

Stephan Auer noted that German businessmen are interested in making
new investments in Armenia, and the commission promotes this with
its activity, creating trustworthy and favorable free competitive
environment.

The members of the delegation expressed gratitude to SCPEC Chairman for
open and productive discussion. Shaboyan stressed that the commission
always actively cooperates with different international institutions,
including German ones.

Particularly, German International Cooperation Company and the
experience of the partners of Twinning programs assist in adopting
decisions, experience exchange, preparation of professionals and
during legislative reforms.

SCPEC Chairman expressed gratitude for supporting the commission and
for contributing to Armenia-European Union integration.

SARKISIAN AGAIN EYES MANY PARLIAMENT SEATS FOR WEALTHY LOYALISTS
Ruzanna Stepanian

15.03.2012

Armenia – President Serzh Sarkisian (C) presides over a pre-election
congress of his Republican Party in Yerevan, 10Mar2012.

Dozens of government-linked businessmen will run in Armenia’s upcoming
parliamentary elections as candidates of the ruling Republican Party
(HHK) despite government pledges to significantly limit their presence
in the next National Assembly.

The wealthy individuals, virtually all of them incumbent
parliamentarians, make up the vast majority of HHK candidates in
33 of the country’s 41 single-mandate constituencies. The party’s
governing body headed by President Serzh Sarkisian nominated them at
a late-night meeting held on Wednesday.

The list comprises Samvel Aleksanian, one of Armenia’s richest men
whose offshore-registered companies have long enjoyed a de facto
monopoly on imports of wheat, sugar and other basic foodstuffs. Also
running for reelection are the owners of a supermarket chain, and
food-processing and liquor company and the country’s largest mineral
water bottler.

Some of the 33 candidates are not members of the outgoing Armenian
parliament controlled by the HHK. One of them is Mher Sedrakian, the
controversial former mayor of Yerevan’s southern Erebuni district who
still holds sway there. The Armenian media has for years implicated
Sedrakian in violent attacks on opposition activists and journalists
and other illegal practices.

Top HHK representatives announced late last year that the ruling party
has decided to reduce the large number of businesspeople representing
it in the parliament. They pointed to Sarkisian’s November pledge to
separate government and business as part of his reform agenda.

However, the HHK made clear that the entrepreneurs, who are notorious
for rarely attending parliament sessions, will be excluded only from
the party’s list of candidates for the 90 parliament seats distributed
under the system of proportional representation. The remaining 41
seats will be up for grabs in the single-mandate districts.

About two dozen HHK-linked businesspeople were elected to the current
parliament on the party-list basis in 2007. A similar number of other
entrepreneurs got elected on an individual basis.

The HHK’s intention to continue heavily relying on its richest
loyalists was denounced by opposition leaders on Thursday. Armen
Martirosian of the Zharangutyun (Heritage) party said it makes
nonsense of Sarkisian’s latest pledge to radically “transform”
Armenia’s political and economic systems.

“This is what their political will is all about,” Martirosian told
RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). “It is a will to continue
governing the country the way they have governed until now and put
the country at the disposal of a handful of clans and oligarchs.”

HHK spokesman Eduard Sharmazanov denied, however, any contradiction
between the president’s rhetoric and actions. “If elected, these
individuals will be part of a team that will be carrying out reforms,”
Sharmazanov told RFE/RL’s Armenian service.

“Being a businessman is not a bad thing,” he said. “We think that
most of them have very good chances of success.”

Armenian parliamentary elections held in single-seat districts
have usually been swept by rich candidates with strong government
connections. The latter are routinely accused by the media and
opposition of bribing and bullying voters.

This explains why Armenia’s leading opposition groups joined forces
earlier this year to campaign for the May 6 elections to be held only
on the party-list basis. The HHK blocked the passage of a corresponding
opposition bill in the parliament late last month.

ONE MORE US CONGRESSMAN COMMEMORATES SUMGAIT MASSACRES

arminfo
Thursday, March 15, 15:19

Last week, Congressman Jim Costa (D- CA) of Fresno issued a strong
statement commemorating the recent anniversary of Azerbaijan’s ethnic
cleansing of its Armenian community in Sumgait in February 1988,
ANCA reported.

He joins with a bipartisan group of other Members of Congress in
commemorating the massacres, including colleagues from the California
Congressional delegation such as Reps. Anna Eshoo (D), Howard Berman
(D), Brad Sherman (D), Judy Chu (D), and Adam Schiff (D).

“With Congressman Costa joining his colleagues in commemorating the
Sumgait massacres, he adds yet another principled voice to the chorus
of legislators who have publicly expressed support for human rights,
democracy, and the peaceful resolution of regional disputes,” said
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

ARA ASLANIAN TO HEAD LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE COMMUNITY CENTER

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 15, 2012 – 12:32 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Having dismissed its executive director and announced
a search for her replacement, the board of the Community Center of
La Cañada Flintridge, Los Angeles County, California, has also put
a new president in place.

According to Valley Sun, the board last week announced it had asked
Megan Nordvedt to step down from her role as executive director and
was seeking someone with more fund-raising skills to replace her. Also
last week, the board moved to advance its annual rotation from the
end of April and elected local businessman Ara Aslanian to replace
Tom Reynolds.

A 1992 La Cañada High School graduate who now owns an information
technology company, Aslanian said that when he was approached by
Michael Leininger and Joel Peterson about serving on the center’s
board, he was happy to help out.

“I basically grew up in the community, so it was very important to me.

I played sports on the [Foothill Intermediate School] fields, I’ve
attended functions as a kid at the Community Center,” he said.

“[Leininger and Peterson] thought a fresh younger board member might
bring some energy to the board, and some fresh ideas, and I was happy
to oblige.”

Aslanian said his experience working with the Boy Scouts helped
prepare him for his role with the center.

“I’ve been a part of a lot of Armenian charity organizations, with
the Boy Scouts Armenia Fund,” he said. “I’ve been part of lots of
charity organizations before … I love giving back.”

Aslanian said the most important next step is finding a new executive
director. He said that, as of last week, the board had received about
30 resumes. It currently is winnowing candidates down into a short
list so that it can make a hire sometime in the next 30 to 60 days.

“I think the primary goal here is to hire an executive director that
can kind of take the Community Center to a new direction,” he said.

“There’s a lot of issues with the building maintenance and
fundraising. La Cañada is a tough place to do fundraising if you’re
not part of the school system.”

Ultimately, Aslanian said his goal is to make sure the community
center was able to thrive during his term as president.

“We’re looking to have a stronger, better community center,” he said.

“We’ve been around for 60-plus years and hope to be around for many
more years and be a place for the community to come and enjoy.”

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

MARCH 9-15, 2012

HIGHLIGHTS:

YPC PRESENTED RESULTS OF MONITORING ARMENIAN BROADCAST MEDIA COVERAGE AHEAD
OF ELECTIONS TO RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 2012

“FACE OF THE COUNTRY” – PRE-ELECTION DEBATES BETWEEN “DASHNAKTSUTIUN” AND
“PROSPEROUS ARMENIA”

“E-CLUB” CYCLE: INTERNET AND RELIGION

ANOTHER SUIT OF “IRAVUNK” VERSUS REPORT.AM REVOKED

HEARINGS ON CASE OF A RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION VERSUS “IRAVUNK” FOUNDER
STARTED

HEAD OF RA BALNEOLOGY CENTER DROPPED LITIGATION AGAINST “ZHOGHOVURD” DAILY

YPC PRESENTED RESULTS OF MONITORING ARMENIAN BROADCAST MEDIA COVERAGE AHEAD
OF ELECTIONS TO RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 2012

On March 14 at Urbat Club YPC presented the results of monitoring Armenian
broadcast media coverage ahead of elections to RA National Assembly 2012.

In the duration of one month – from November 16 to December 15, 2011,
Yerevan Press Club has carried out monitoring of the coverage by Armenian
broadcast media of the activities of Armenian political parties throughout
the period preceding the official pre-election promotion.

SELECTION of the monitoring time was conditioned by the fact that
traditionally non-official election campaign starts in Armenia significantly
earlier than the one month period assigned for pre-election promotion. The
behavior of media, especially TV channels, which have the largest audience,
to a high extent determines the mood of the electorate. Research like this
allows to identify the role of Armenian TV and radio broadcasters in the
political processes, as well as problems existing in the sphere of
regulation of the activities of broadcast media. The current monitoring
helped Yerevan Press Club to prepare better for studying the role of media
on the most active stage of the election campaign, immediately preceding the
day of voting.

The monitoring included 6 national TV channels – First Channel of the Public
Television of Armenia (H1), “Armenia”, “Yerkir Media”, “Kentron”, Second
Armenian TV Channel (H2), “Shant”; one Yerevan TV channel – “Shoghakat”
(this channel was chosen because it is a part of Public TV and Radio Company
and as such has a special mission); as well as Public Radio of Armenia. Main
editions of news programs and main current affairs/discussion programs
broadcast at the evening airtime (18.00-01.00) at the above-mentioned TV and
radio channels were studied.

The object of the monitoring were pieces, which included references to those
14 political parties and movements, which either have expressed their
intention to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections, or
currently hold an active position in the political life of the country.
Connotations of the references to the parties/movements as well as the
airtime allocated to them by the media studied were also recorded. (See the
monitoring methodology in YPC Report, Chapter “General Information on
Monitoring”, at in “Studies” section.)

THROUGHOUT the month of the monitoring the largest amount of attention to
political parties was given by “Kentron” TV channel, its share of the
coverage formed more than a quarter of the respective total airtime of all
programs studied on 8 channels (hereafter for the quantitative results of
the monitoring see the YPC Report tables at in “Studies”
section). It was closely followed by “Yerkir Media” TV channel. In terms of
the airtime amount devoted to the activities of the parties Public Radio
occupied a distant third place. However, Public Radio was the leader with
regard to the frequency of references to the parties. Leadership in this
regard, combined with the relative lagging behind in terms of the coverage
volume, is explained by the fact that the public radio airtime studied
consisted exclusively of news pieces.

“Shoghakat” remained loyal to its profile – a TV channel of spiritual and
cultural orientation. There were no references to political
parties/movements within its programs studied.

“Shoghakat” excluded, “Armenia” and “Shant” channels were the ones that paid
the least attention to internal political processes ahead of the elections,
both in terms of airtime volume and frequency of references.

ACCORDING TO the cumulative indicators of all 8 channels studied, in terms
of media attention leaders were the five parliamentary parties – Republican
Party of Armenia (RPA), “Bargavach Hayastan”/”Prosperous Armenia”,
“Zharangutiun”/”Heritage”, Armenian Revolutionary Federation
“Dashnaktsutiun”, “Orinats Yerkir”, as well as the Armenian National
Congress (ANC); RPA being the obvious leader. Other political forces,
coverage of which was subject of the monitoring, both in terms of airtime
amount and frequency of references, substantially lagged behind “the big
six”. Among those lagging behind was also the People’s Party: the leader of
this party in near past had been also the owner of the “ALM” TV channel,
which gave exclusive attention to this party. But since January 21, 2011
“ALM” stopped broadcasting as a result of one of the digital broadcast
licensing competitions, summed up in December 2010.

Interest towards different political forces, including those that were the
leaders according to the cumulative indicators of all media studied,
significantly varies from channel to channel. Throughout the period of the
monitoring, attention to various political forces from “the big six” was the
most balanced on First Channel of the Public Television of Armenia and in
the programs of Public Radio. At the same time, First Channel practically
ignored all other political parties. Taking into account the cumulative
frequency of references to parties on Public Radio, the interest of this
broadcaster to political forces outside of “the big six” can also be
qualified as minimal. Second Armenian TV Channel in a quite balanced way
distributed its coverage between the five parliamentary parties, but with
regard to other political forces, including ANC, either showed limited
interest or ignored them completely. The approach of “Shant” was even more
selective: on this channel within the programs studied attention was focused
on three parties – RPA, “Prosperous Armenia” and “Heritage”.

On five out of seven studied TV channels, which covered the activities of
political parties, it was RPA that became the leader in terms of references,
moreover on PTA First Channel and on “Armenia” its advantage was substantial
both in terms of references, frequency and the airtime volume. On Second
Armenian TV Channel and on “Shant” the Republicans faced competition from
“Prosperous Armenia”: while it lagged somewhat behind on both channels in
terms of frequency of references, it received almost the same airtime volume
as RPA on Second Armenian TV Channel and, even though slightly, but was
ahead of the Republicans on “Shant” with regard to that indicator. On Public
Radio the closest to RPA, though still far behind, was ANC, both in terms of
references frequency and airtime volume. This, again, can be explained by
the specifics of this channel, which does not have current
affairs/discussion programs and where a news program became the object of
the monitoring: Armenian National Congress provided quite numerous news
occasions for event-based coverage.

On “Kentron” TV channel “Prosperous Armenia” party was in the center of
attention, and on “Yerkir Media” it was ARF “Dashnaktsutiun”. This fact, as
well as the already mentioned situation with the People’s Party and the
closed “ALM”, is another evidence of the advantages in the media coverage
enjoyed by those political forces, which are directly connected to certain
TV channels. Even the Republican Party, which dominates in the government
structures and has numerous leverages of influence upon broadcasters, cannot
compete with these political forces for attention on “their” specific
channels. Both on “Kentron” and on “Yerkir Media” RPA occupied the 2nd
place, significantly lagging behind the leaders. The 3rd place (with regard
to references frequency) on these channels was taken by “Heritage”, probably
as a result of its public activity, both within and outside the parliament.

ABOUT 10% of all references of the channels studied contained a certain
connotation (positive or negative) regarding some political
parties/movements. Based on the experience of similar studies in Armenia and
abroad, it is possible to say that this indicator is traditionally quite
high for the period preceding the pre-election promotion. Thus, the issue of
professional and unbiased coverage of internal political processes is quite
pressing for Armenian broadcasters. At the same time, there were over 5
times more references with positive connotations than those with negative
ones (causes for that will be analyzed below).

>From the point of view of connotational references, the most balanced
(unbiased) coverage of political forces was observed on Public Radio (1.3%
of the total references on the channel). Also the coverage was quite
balanced on “Yerkir Media” (2.7%). Indicator below the above-mentioned 10%
barrier was recorded also on PTA First Channel (7.3%). The highest
percentage of connotational references was registered on “Shant” (28.3%).
The next ones on this scale are Second Armenian TV Channel (22.2%),
“Armenia” (13.4%) and “Kentron” (13.3%). The channels studied in most cases
covered the same events in the internal political life of Armenia, therefore
the nature of coverage was conditioned not by the situation or by the events
of public importance, but by the willingness of the media to abide by
professional principles, and, especially in the case of Armenian
broadcasters, their right to independently determine their editorial policy.

The highest number of connotational references was “collected” by
“Prosperous Armenia”: 43 (or 25.6% of the aggregate number of references to
this party), out of which 42 were positive. The most frequent positive
coverage of “Prosperous Armenia” was on “Kentron” (23 or 36.5% of the total
number of references of the channel to that party). RPA had 21 connotational
references on all channels studied (8.3% of the aggregate number of
references), out of which 19 were positive. The most frequent positive
references to this party were observed on PTA First Channel (7) and on
“Armenia” (6). “Orinats Yerkir” party received 13 positive and no negative
references (15.7% of the aggregate number of references). Thus, these three
parties, which form the ruling coalition, received 74 out of all 76 positive
references recorded in the course of the monitoring on all channels studied.

The overwhelming majority (over 80%) of positive references to “Prosperous
Armenia” were observed in pieces telling about charity acts and events
organized by the party. Almost all positive references to “Orinats Yerkir”
were in news stories about meetings of this party with voters in various
regions of Armenia. In both cases different TV channels showed pieces that
were identical or had very little differences. Based on this fact, it is
possible to suggest that these pieces are not editorial coverage of events,
but hidden political promotion, which is carried out on conditions
contradicting RA legislation. Moreover, such opportunities are mostly
available for pro-government parties. Cases like this raise once again the
issue of deliberately unequal conditions for political parties and the
necessity of clear normative and legal regulation, as well as monitoring of
their implementation not only throughout the short period of pre-election
promotion, but also throughout the non-official election campaign, i.e.,
during the several months before the elections.

Of the opposition parties “Heritage” received 7 connotational references. Of
these 6 were negative, related to the reaction of the RA President Serzh
Sargsian to the appeal by the leader of “Heritage” Raffi Hovannisian to hold
fair elections. ANC received 5 connotational references and all of them were
negative (3 times on “Kentron” and 2 times on Public Radio).
“Dashnaktsutiun” had 1 positive and no negative reference. It is noteworthy
that in the monitored programs of “Yerkir Media” not a single positive
reference to the party was observed, despite the large volume of airtime
allocated to “Dashnaktsutiun”.

A SEPARATE component of the monitoring was the recording of the participants
of programs in “guest-in-studio” format, which was aired on all channels
studied during evening airtime. In general, the choice of the guests was an
evidence of a quite limited interest of the broadcasters to internal
political struggle in the run-up to the elections. The only exception was
“Yerkir-Media”, where politicians, representing different political forces,
regularly appeared in discussion programs. To somewhat lesser extent
attention to internal political issues was given by “Kentron”, which also
presented different positions to the audience, and by PTA First Channel. The
latter showed a certain lack of balance in terms of choice of guests: though
one of the two party representatives invited during the month represented
the opposition (ANC), four acting government ministers, also taking part in
the programs, created relative advantage for pro-government forces.

Programs in “guest-in-studio” format on other channels, including Public
Radio, either did not pay attention to the pre-election internal political
situation, or paid minimal attention.

The full November 16 – December 15, 2011 Report of YPC monitoring of
Armenian broadcast media coverage ahead of parliamentary elections is
available at in “Studies” section.

It should be noted that since March 1 Yerevan Press Club continues
monitoring the coverage of the May 6, 2012 elections to RA National Assembly
by Armenian broadcast media. The study is implemented under YPC project
supported by OSCE Office in Yerevan. The monitoring is conducted within two
stages: the first stage covers the period of March 1-31, 2012 (ahead of
pre-election promotion); the second stage covers the period of April 8 – May
4, 2012 (pre-election promotion).

The video on YPC monitoring results’ presentation, made by “A1+” TV company
on March 14 , 2012, watch here

“FACE OF THE COUNTRY” – PRE-ELECTION DEBATES BETWEEN “DASHNAKTSUTIUN” AND
“PROSPEROUS ARMENIA”

On March 15 the “Yerkri Demky” (“Face of the Country”) cycle of pre-election
debates went on the evening air of “Yerkir Media” TV company. The cycle is
produced by Yerevan Press Club under “Alternative Resources in Media”
project, supported by USAID.

The guests of talk show host YPC President Boris Navasardian were Ara
Nranian, RA National Assembly MP from ARF “Dashnaktsutiun” faction, and Vahe
Enfiajian, RA National Assembly MP from “Prosperous Armenia” faction. The
debates focused on the parties’ electoral lists, taking part in May 6, 2012
parliamentary elections by proportional system, the representativeness of
Armenian Government’s economic policy in parties’ platforms, perspectives of
improving political culture during pre-election campaigns. (For some
technical reasons, the rerun time of this program has shifted to 19.15,
March 19.)

The next “Face of the Country” will be aired on “Yerkir Media” on Thursday,
March 22 at 18.15 (rerun – on Monday, March 26 at 16.15).

Watch the “Face of the Country” of March 15, 2012 here

“E-CLUB” CYCLE: INTERNET AND RELIGION

On March 14 another program of “E-Club” weekly cycle went on the online
broadcast of “A1+” TV company (). The “E-Club” is produced by
Yerevan Press Club in cooperation with “A1+” TV under “Alternative Resources
in Media” project, supported by USAID.

The program was devoted to the visibility of religious organizations in the
Internet: particularly, the first Armenian religious website of the
Araratian Patriarchal Diocese of Armenian Apostolic Church, ,
website of Yerevan Holy Trinity Church, The news bloc of
“E-Club” told about the winners of the international hackers’ competition in
Vancouver, who broke the new Google Chrome 17; the roll out of iPad3; arrest
of some of the Anonymous hacker group members. The ratings of online sources
and headlines of last week were presented by famous Armenian rock singer and
composer Vahan Artsruni. The web sources’ top list was headed by Facebook,
while the most popular topic was the Russian presidential elections.

The next “E-Club” will be aired on “A1+” on Tuesday, March 20 at 15.50
(rerun – on Thursday, March 22 at 18.20).

ANOTHER SUIT OF “IRAVUNK” VERSUS REPORT.AM REVOKED

On March 12 court of general jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash
administrative districts of Yerevan revoked the suit of Hayk Babukhanian,
Chairman of the Editorial Council of “Iravunk” newspaper, versus founder of
Report.am news portal, “Khmbagir” LLC, and Report.am observer Edik
Andreasian. The subject matter of the suit became the article “When Forcing
the Unpromptable” (stored on Report.am on March 25, 2011) and its’ readers
comments. Along with a refutation on the information, discrediting honor,
dignity and business reputation, Hayk Babukhanian demanded to compensate the
moral damage of 1 million AMD (more than $ 2,500) and the court expenses.
The court hearings on the case started on June 15, 2011.

The court ruling, released on March 12, assessed the lawsuit of Hayk
Babukhanian as unjustified.

This is the second revoked suit of Hayk Babukhanian versus Report.am. On
February 27 the same court of general jurisdiction of Kentron and
Nork-Marash administrative districts of Yerevan had denied the claims of
“Iravunk” Council Chairman regarding the September 1, 2010 piece of
Report.am, “The Right of ‘Iravunk’ on the Edge of Hayk Babukhanian’s Sword”
(see details in YPC Weekly Newsletter, February 24 – March 1, 2012).

HEARINGS ON CASE OF A RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION VERSUS “IRAVUNK” FOUNDER
STARTED

On March 13 court of general jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash
administrative districts of Yerevan started hearing the suit of the Armenian
Word of Life Religious Community of Christian Evangelic Church and its Head,
Senior Pastor Artur Simonian versus founder of “Iravunk” newspaper, “Iravunk
Media” LLC. The matter of the suit on protection of honor, dignity and
business reputation became the article and its collage that spoke negatively
about the Word of Life and the Senior Pastor. The piece was published in the
weekly supplement “Iravunk Investigation” of October 19-25, 2011 and was
later reprinted in “Arguments of the Week in Armenia” (published by “Iravunk
Media” LLC). The plaintiff demands to bind the respondent to publish a
refutation and to bring apologies in both newspapers. The suit was taken
into consideration on November 23, 2011.

At the March 13 session the demands of the suit were clarified. The next
session will take place on March 23.

HEAD OF RA BALNEOLOGY CENTER DROPPED LITIGATION AGAINST “ZHOGHOVURD” DAILY

Benik Harutiunian, Director of RA Balneology and Physical Medicine Research
Center, dropped his lawsuit versus founder of “Zhoghovurd” daily, “Editorial
Office of ‘Zhoghovurd’ Daily” LLC. As the March 13 “Zhoghovurd” editorial
piece noted, according to an information released on March 7 by Press
Secretary of RA Minister of Defense David Karapetian on behalf of Benik
Harutiunian (who is also Advisor to RA Minister of Defense, Ed. Note), the
latter one withdrew his lawsuit. The withdrawal was conditioned by the need
of fostering media as a pillar of democracy, “Zhoghovurd” stressed.

As it has been reported, the reason for filing the court of general
jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash administrative districts of Yerevan
became the piece “The Doctor’s Adventures in the Goldfields”, published in
“Zhoghovurd” on September 9, 2011. The article quoted the US citizen Nuneh
Serobian, who alleged that she had a common business with Benik Harutiunian,
and he refused to return her more than $ 200,000 she had invested. Benik
Harutiunian demanded to oblige the newspaper to refute the information
discrediting his honor and dignity, and pay him off 2,2 mln AMD (about $
5,800), from which 2 mln – as a moral damage compensation and 200,000 –
court costs. The court hearings started on November 29, 2011 (see YPC Weekly
Newsletter, November 25 – December 1, 2011).

When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.

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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
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