YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
APRIL 8-14, 2005
HIGHLIGHTS:
TWENTIETH “PRESS CLUB” SHOW ISSUED
SIGNATURE GATHERING CONTINUES
RA COMMERCIAL COURT SECURED THE SUIT ON EVICTION OF “A1+”
JOURNALISTIC FORUM ON MEDIA.AM
CARICATURE CONTEST “SHARP SIGHT”
TWENTIETH “PRESS CLUB” SHOW ISSUED
On April 13 on the evening air of the Second Armenian TV Channel the
twentieth “Press Club” show was issued. The cycle is organized by Yerevan
Press Club under a homonymous project, supported by the OSI Network Media
Program.
Representatives of leading Armenian media and journalistic organizations
discussed the issue of journalists in hot political times. They particularly
focused on several events of public resonance, their media coverage, and
“A1+” TV support actions. The program participants expect the Armenian media
to focus this week on a whole range of issues: whether the quorum will be
achieved at an ordinary four-day Parliament session; the year of dispersing
the opposition rally in Yerevan on the night of April 12-13, 2004; 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 to be commemorated on April 24.
Of the international events, as the “Press Club” participants suppose, the
Armenian media will turn to the elections of the Pope and the on-going
discussion in Azerbaijan on conducting parliamentary hearings on Mountainous
Karabagh issue.
This change of the day for the “Press Club” show, issued on the Second
Channel on Mondays, was conditioned by the two-day evening broadcasting of
RA President Robert Kocharian’s meeting with the students and professors of
Yerevan State University Department of Economics.
SIGNATURE GATHERING CONTINUES
On April 12 in Yerevan by Komitas monument a rally to protect “A1+” TV
company was held. The event was the continuation of the actions dedicated to
the third anniversary since the TV company was deprived of air on April 2,
2002 due to refusal of a broadcast license by the National Commission on
Television and Radio. At the rally, in which about 200 people took part, an
announcement was made about continuation of the signature gathering to
support the demand to the RA Ministry of Transportation and Communications,
the National Commission on Television and Radio and other competent bodies
to allocate a vacant frequency to hold a public broadcast licensing
competition (see details in YPC Weekly Newsletter, April 1-7, 2005).
The signature gathering will continue till May 3 at the editorial office of
“A1+”. By mid April, the number of gathered signatures surpassed three
thousand.
RA COMMERCIAL COURT SECURED THE SUIT ON EVICTION OF “A1+”
On April 11 RA Commercial Court heard the case of the RA National Science
Academy versus the founder of “A1+” TV company, “Meltex” LLC. The suit
demanded to vacate the premises, currently rented by “A1+” at one of the
Yerevan buildings. As it has been reported, this demand was repeatedly
voiced by NAS throughout the last year, and in 2005 it was intensified to be
an ultimatum. According to the “A1+” head Mesrop Movsesian, the Academy also
called for paying the rent owed and thus violated the existing agreements.
According to these, as Movsesian noted, the rental fee was to be deduced
from the investment that “A1+” made into the building renovation (see
details in YPC Weekly Newsletter, February 4-10, 2005).
As YPC was told by lawyer Tigran Ter-Yesayan, the attorney of “A1+” in its
litigations, it is this circumstance that was used as a basis for the
counter-claim, filed by “A1+” against the National Science Academy and
containing financials claims. Thus, as Tigran Ter-Yesayan stressed, should
“A1+” be evicted, NAS will become the debtor of “A1+”, since the rent owed
is much less than the investment made into the building renovation (over $
30,000, according to the head of the TV company).
In the course of the hearings the Commercial Court dismissed the
counter-claim and two other motions of the respondent. One of the motions
demanded the plaintiff to compensate the expenses on the dissembling and
transportation of the equipment, necessary to vacate the premises, the other
motion challenged the judge.
The RA Commercial court made a ruling to secure the suit of NAS.
According to the “A1+” lawyer, the TV company intends to challenge the
ruling made with the court of supreme jurisdiction.
JOURNALISTIC FORUM ON MEDIA.AM
On the Media.am web site of Internews Armenia public organization a forum
for representatives of media, journalistic associations, students and
teachers of journalism schools operates. Here one can discuss professional
issues, get advice or find important information.
The forum has three sections: “Law and legislation”, “Information sphere”,
“Information technologies”.
“Law and legislation”- in this section answers from the legal experts of
Internews Armenia can be received to questions on legal regulation of print
and broadcast media, the rights of journalists.
“Information sphere” – in this section one can place information on new TV
and radio programs, articles, published in print and online media, as well
as discuss urgent professional issues.
“Information technologies” – this section is intended to discuss Armenian
Internet and the problems of information technologies. The section is
conceived as a continuation of another forum, ,
operating under an Internews Armenia project.
The forum can be visited at
For more information please contact Gegham Vardanian at gegham@internews.am
or by phone – (374 1) 58 36 20.
CARICATURE CONTEST “SHARP SIGHT”
Internews Armenia public organization invites artists, students of arts and
all other interested parties to take part in “Sharp sight” caricature
express contest-exhibition devoted to the World Press Freedom Day, May 3.
Caricatures should be on today’s Armenian TV broadcast content.
The works should be on A4 format paper, enveloped, on which the author’s
name and personal details should be mentioned (address, phone, e-mail). Each
applicant may present up to five works.
Caricatures should be submitted to 3 Arshakunyats ave., 3rd floor, Yerevan.
Deadline: April 30, 2005, 15:00.
For additional information, please, contact Narine Safaryan.
Phone: (374 1) 58 36 20
E-mail: narine@internews.am
The best two caricatures will be granted money award. The exhibition will be
open at Media.am website ().
Other details on the contest will be available at
N.B. Dear readers, please note that the YPC Weekly Newsletter will next be
issued on April 28, 2005.
When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.
You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
pressclub@ypc.am
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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
____________________________________________
Yerevan Press Club
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375007, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 1) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 1) 53 56 61
E-mail: pressclub@ypc.am
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