YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
MARCH 25-31, 2005
HIGHLIGHTS:
EIGHTEENTH “PRESS CLUB” SHOW
JOURNALISTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS GETTING READY FOR “A1+” SUPPORT
ACTIONS
COMPETITION TO FILL IN VACANCIES AT THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON TELEVISION
AND RADIO ANNOUNCED
EIGHTEENTH “PRESS CLUB” SHOW
On March 28 on the evening air of the Second Armenian TV Channel the
eighteenth “Press Club show was issued. The cycle is organized by Yerevan
Press Club under a homonymous project, supported by the OSI Network Media
Program.
The representatives of the leading media and journalistic associations of
Armenia discussed the results of the visit of the Russian President Vladimir
Putin to Armenia. As the program participants expect, this week the Armenian
media will focus on the hearing at the RA National Assembly on the problem
of Mountainous Karabagh, the results of the mayor elections in Ijevan, the
investigation of the explosion on March 24 by the building of the State
Customs Committee in Yerevan. Of the international affairs the media will
continue discussing the events in Kyrgyzstan, the “Press Club” participants
suppose.
JOURNALISTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS GETTING READY FOR “A1+” SUPPORT
ACTIONS
On March 31 at Journalists Union of Armenia a press conference of the
representatives of the country’s several journalistic and human rights
organizations was held. The event announced the start of “A1+” support
actions, devoted to the three years of the TV company’s loss of air. On
April 2, 2002 National Commission on Television and Radio did not provide
“A1+” with the broadcast license, and the numerous attempts of the TV
channel (taking part in licensing competitions) for regaining air failed
over these three years.
At the meeting with the journalists, initiators of “A1+” support actions
called for participating in the procession and rally on April 2, 2005. The
procession will start at 12.00 from “A1+” TV building (15 Grigor Lusavorich
St., Yerevan) and will end up in a rally at the Yerevan Freedom Square. A
campaign will be held there on gathering signatures for the petition to RA
Ministry of Transport and Communication to allocate a vacant frequency for
conducting a new broadcast licensing competition.
On March 31, Journalists Union of Armenia, Yerevan Press Club, Internews
Armenia public organization, Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression and
Helsinki Committee of Armenia adopted a joint statement. The statement noted
in particular that assessing “A1+” bids in all the eight competitions as
lower than competitive ones, National Commission on Television and Radio
proceeded not from their content or professional level of the TV company,
but complied with the political order of the authorities. The signatories
supported the demand of “A1+” action initiators urging the NCTR and RA
Ministry of Transport and Communication as well as other competent bodies to
allocate a vacant frequency and conduct a new – open and transparent –
licensing competition. The statement of the five public organizations ended
with the call for supporting this civil claim and filing similar addresses
to the National Commission on Television and Radio.
COMPETITION TO FILL IN VACANCIES AT THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON TELEVISION
AND RADIO ANNOUNCED
On March 24 the RA President Robert Kocharian signed a decree on conducting
a competition to fill in vacancies at the National Commission on Television
and Radio. The competition commission includes: the chairman Armen
Harutiunian (the Rector of the RA State Administration Academy); the
secretary Irina Ghulinian (Deputy Head of the Public and Media Relations
Department of the Administration of the RA President); commission members –
Naira Manucharova (Deputy Chief Editor of “Novoye Vremya” newspaper), Arthur
Yezekian (President of “Shant” TV company) and Elinar Vardanian (Executive
Director of “Center of Public Dialogue and Development” NGO). The
competition can accommodate citizens of Armenia who have many-year
experience in journalism, broadcasting, technology, culture, arts, science
and law, higher education and command of Armenian language. The deadline for
applications is April 4, 2005.
The competition to fill in vacancies in the National Commission on
Television and Radio was announced due to the expiration on March 19, 2005
of the four-year terms of three NCTR members – Simavon Andreasian, Mushegh
Hovsepian and Ara Tadevosian.
The competition for NCTR vacancies is announced in Armenian for the first
time and is due to the amendments into the RA Law “On Television and Radio”,
adopted on December 3, 2003 by the RA National Assembly. According to the
amendments, the formation of the broadcast regulating bodies should be
formed by a competition. However, the members of these bodies are still
appointed by the President of the country – now from the competition
winners. In February 2005 a similar competition was held for vacancies in
the Council of Public TV and Radio Company.
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Press Club is required.
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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
____________________________________________
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
375007, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 1) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 1) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress