YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 14-20, 2005
HIGHLIGHTS:
MDI SEMINAR FOR “ARMENPRESS” STAFF
DEFENDANT ON ASSAULT ON “HAIKAKAN ZHAMANAK” CORRESPONDENT PLEADED GUILTY
NCTR FINED “HAYRENIK TV”
“PAKAGITS” WILL BE ISSUED THREE TIMES A WEEK
“SHOGHAKAT” TAKES A TECHNICAL BREAK
MDI SEMINAR FOR “ARMENPRESS” STAFF
On January 17-19 in Yerevan a training seminar on covering diversity for the
staff of “Armenpress” state news agency was held. The training was organized
by the London-based Media Diversity Institute under the project “Minority
Empowerment and Media Development in South Caucasus”, implemented with the
financial assistance of the European Union and the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of the Netherlands. The MDI partner in Armenia is Yerevan Press
Club.
Theoretical and practical aspects of covering minority and vulnerable groups
of the society were discussed in interactive communication, moderated by
experts Mike Jempson, PressWise Trust journalistic organization, and Arjum
Wajid, BBC World Service, from the United Kingdom and Tatul Hakobian,
observer of “Azg” daily, from Armenia.
The practical continuation of the training will be the 50 articles that the
journalists of “Armenpress” must produce in the course of 6 months and
disseminate among their subscribers.
At the seminar the monitoring of how the print media of Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Georgia cover various groups/minorities in the society was discussed.
The study was conducted in September 2004 by common methodology and within
identical time period in all the three countries of South Caucasus. The
monitoring object was five national newspapers in each of the countries. The
head of the monitoring in Armenia Elina Poghosbekian presented its findings
to the seminar participants. In particular, the extremely low attention of
the print media studied in Armenia and Azerbaijan towards the groups and
minorities existing in the countries was noted. Thus, of the total number of
pieces studied only 1.7% of publications in Armenian newspapers dealt with
the monitoring subject. In Azerbaijani media this figure did not exceed 1%.
The highest level of coverage was recorded in Georgian media – 7.5%. Out of
the five target groups of the monitoring, during the study period, the
Armenian media most frequently addressed the problems of the disabled, the
Azerbaijani media – the problems of refugees/displaced persons, the majority
of mentionings in Georgia referred to ethnic minorities. The third by the
media attention distribution in all the three countries were religious
minorities, the fifth (the last) were the sexual minorities that were
recorded 4 times in studies of Armenian and Georgian media each, and not
even once – for the media of Azerbaijan. A similar monitoring will be
conducted in February this year, but this time among the broadcasters of the
three countries.
DEFENDANT ON ASSAULT ON “HAIKAKAN ZHAMANAK” CORRESPONDENT PLEADED GUILTY
On January 19 at the court of primary jurisdiction of Center and Nork-Marash
communities of Yerevan the hearings of the case of assault on Arman Galoyan,
the correspondent of “Haikakan Zhamanak” daily, continued. As it has been
reported, the incident occurred on September 23, 2004, when the journalist
was interviewing the owners of the trade stalls demolished around one of the
Yerevan markets. The investigation identified one of the assaulters,
impeding the work of the correspondent of “Haikakan Zhamanak”, to be the
market supervisor Armen Vardanian. It also appeared that a month before the
incident this same Armen Vardanian beat two Yerevan residents next to the
same market. The two cases were united into one litigation, and Vardanian
was charged on these two episodes: by Article 164 (“Obstruction of
legitimate professional activities of journalist”) and 258 (“Public
disorder”) of the RA Criminal Code. The defendant failed to be present at
opening session of the trial on December 20, and the court ruled to bring
him to court by force (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, December 17-23, 2004).
At the hearings of January 19 Armen Vardanian pleaded guilty on both
episodes. The interrogation of the witnesses started, too.
The next session is scheduled for January 25.
NCTR FINED “HAYRENIK TV”
On January 18 at the session of the National Commission on Television and
Radio a decision was made to impose a fine of 200,000 (over $ 400) on
“Hayrenik TV”. The grounds for the penalty were the rebroadcasting of the
programs of French “Mezzo” TV channel by “Hayrenik TV” on December 23, 26,
27, 2004 and January 3-8, 2005. According to NCTR, by this TV company
violated the provisions of part 2 of Article 10 of the RA Law “On Television
and Radio”, stipulating the rebroadcasting of programs of foreign companies
only on a contractual basis and only with a prior written notification of
the National Commission about this. Besides, “Hayrenik TV” made an
unauthorized broadcast of a number of films.
At the same session on January 18 the NCTR resolved to change certain
frequencies previously allocated to the Public Radio of Armenia. The PRA
programs at the Sevan Pass will be aired on the frequency of 102.3 MHz
(instead of the previously allocated 102.1), in Vedi – on 102.5 MHz
(instead of 102.1), in Berd – on 103.0 MHz (instead of 100.5). The frequency
change is pre-conditioned by the electromagnetic incompatibility.
“PAKAGITS” WILL BE ISSUED THREE TIMES A WEEK
On January 18 “Pakagits” informed about the change in the periodicity of its
publication. From now on, the newspaper will be issued not once, but three
times a week.
“SHOGHAKAT” TAKES A TECHNICAL BREAK
Since January 17 “Shoghakat” TV channel stopped going on air. The suspension
of the broadcasts is due to the technical re-equipment of the TV company and
will last a week.
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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
____________________________________________
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