ARMENIAN PUBLIC TV AND RADIO SHOWED THE BIGGEST BALANCE IN COVERING OF THE ELECTION ACTIVITY OF POLITICAL FORCES, TAKING PART IN THE ELECTION
ArmInfo
2007-05-14 18:46:00
Armenian Public TV and Radio showed the biggest balance in covering
of the election activity of political forces, taking part in the
election, preliminary report on monitoring of covering Armenian
parliamentary election in 2007 (8 April – 10 May 2007) prepared by
Research Centre "Tim" financed by supporting foundation – Armenia
of Open Society Institute and resource, methodological support of
Yerevan press-club says.
A total 18 broadcast and printed mass media of Armenia were monitored:
4 national TV companies – Public TV of Armenia H 1, ALM, Armenia,
Second Armenian TV channel H2; 6 capital city TV companies – AR,
Armnews, Yerkir-media, TV-5, Kentron, Shant; 3 TV companies of Gyumri
(Shirak region) – public TV channel Shirak, Gala, Tsayg; 1 national
radio company – public radio of Armenia; 4 public newspapers –
official Hayastani Hanrapetutyun and Rspublica Armenia, private –
Aravot and Haykakan Zhamanak. As the head of the Yerevan press club
Boris Navasardyan said at the press-conference in Urbat club today,
this is first of all regarding distribution of attention among the
competing political forces. Both public broadcasters (TV and radio)
were striving to keep the law, and fulfilled the task in general. At
the same time some TV broadcasts, dedicated to the election events
of the opposition parties, contained irony elements, which was
not reflected in the monitoring, albeit affected the audience’s
understanding the information, Navasardyan said.
According to the report, the monitoring group fixed higher level of
political pluralism than that over the previous months. Covering of
the election activity of the parties when campaigning was the most
balanced one from 8 April to 10 May. The majority of parties taking
part in the election and demonstrating activeness when campaigning,
got an opportunity to familiarize the society with their programmes,
approaches and views. No party came across obstacles when using the
given paid and free air time at public TV and radio, the report says.
According to the document, in general over 33 days of election campaign
the total index of the RPA in the evening air time was 279,637
sec. and 2,447 references, ARF "Dashnaktiutyun" – 217,885 sec. and
1,220 references, Prosperous Armenia party – 175,947 sec. and 981
references. The following parties lag behind the above mentioned ones:
Orinats Yerkir- 82,842 sec. and 751 references and People’s Party –
78,030 sec. and 277 references. But th latter got 92% of its air time
at ALM TV channel, the owner of which is the leader of the party Tigran
Karapetyan.The same parties lead by the number broadcast "guest in
the studio": the RPA -74 times, Prosperous Armenia party -73, ARFD –
66 and Orinats Yerkir – 31 times.
The leading three parties by their airtime, TV-materials on them
and the number of invitations to the programs "Guest in the Studio,"
had a special privilege over others on the last campaigning day on May
10. Unlike the parties that were not covered at all by TV channels that
day, RPA received 13,788 seconds, Prosperous Armenia – 9.675 seconds
and ARFD – 9,044 seconds. United Labour Party proved the four receiving
4.588 seconds and exceeding its average statistical indicator over
than 4 times. These four parties had more opportunities to participate
in the programs "Guest in the Studio" on May 10 than others.
Thus, Prosperous Armenia and RPA participated in the program 5 times,
ARFD – 3 times. ULP – 2 times. In his interview with TV channels
on May 10, President Robert Kocharyan also pointed out that it was
desirable that the above four parties enter the parliament.