Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: info@aaainc.org
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
March 23, 2006
CONTACT: Karoon Panosyan
E-mail: kpanosyan@aaainc.org
FROM COAST TO COAST ASSEMBLY ACTIVISTS CONFRONT PBS ON ITS PLAN TO
TELEVISE A DENALIST PANEL
WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian Assembly commends activists around the
nation for taking the initiative and contacting their local PBS stations
to encourage the airing of Andrew Goldberg’s documentary “The Armenian
Genocide,” and to pull the plug on a pre-taped panel discussion
featuring Armenian Genocide deniers.
Colorado State Chair Pamela Barsam Brown informed PBS KRMA Channel 6 in
Colorado about the hour-long documentary by Andrew Goldberg titled “The
Armenian Genocide.” She provided the station with information about the
film including congressional efforts to reaffirm the U.S. historical
record on the Armenian Genocide.
“The detailed and deliberative process the KRMA staff undertook in
concluding to air ‘The Armenian Genocide’ as a stand-alone documentary
was impressive,” said Barsam Brown. “In every way KRMA represents the
best of public television and its mandate to serve as a reliable and
trustworthy source of information for its Colorado viewers.”
PBS affiliate KRMA will air the Goldberg documentary, however, they will
not air the panel discussion featuring two prominent genocide deniers
following a planned documentary on the Armenian Genocide.
Additionally, PBS KBDI, which will broadcast Goldberg’s film on April
26, assured Barsam Brown that the post documentary program “won’t be
offensive or insensitive to the Armenians.”
New York’s PBS WNET Channel 13 will also be airing the documentary.
After community protests led by Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY), WNET
has decided not to broadcast the panel discussion.
“PBS and WNET have a well-earned reputation for their programs that
explore history with a depth and understanding not found anywhere else
on the dial,” said Weiner, who serves on the Armenian Caucus. “I am
pleased that WNET has now cancelled plans to follow their historically
accurate program with a panel discussion including some who deny that
the genocide took place.”
Armenian Assembly activists, including New York Regional Council Chairs
Mike Candan and Arthur Halvajian, also took part in the protest.
“We commend Channel 13 for making the right decision and not airing this
panel discussion,” said Candan. “Congressman Weiner is a dedicated
supporter of Armenian issues, and we thank him for his stance on this
issue.”
In Los Angeles, community leaders had a meeting with PBS affiliate KCET
to review plans for broadcasting Goldberg’s documentary.
Assembly Member and KCET Woman’s Council President Lily Ring Balian
arranged the meeting which included Assembly Western Office Chairman
Richard Mushegain, along with community members Osheen Keshishian from
the Armenian Observer, AGBU Southern California District Committee Chair
Vahe Imasdounian and attorney Mark Kassabian from the firm of Geragos
and Geragos. KCET said they would broadcast a French documentary, “Le
Genocide Armenien” on April 17.
“The meeting with the management of KCET was cordial but frank,” said
Assembly Western Office Chairman Richard Mushegain. “I believe they
understand the importance of the Genocide issue to their
Armenian-American constituency and I have no objections to the French
documentary. I left the meeting believing that at some point in the
near future Mr. Goldberg’s documentary would be televised on KCET.”
Goldberg’s documentary may be shown at a later date, however, the
controversial panel discussion will not be broadcast. “This is settled
history and we would not give time for discussion by those denying it,”
KCET President and Chief Executive Officer told the Assembly group.
The Assembly sent a letter to Senior Vice President and Co-Chief
Programming Executive, Jacoba Atlas in February urging PBS not to air
the panel discussion saying it would give genocide deniers a chance to
manipulate the truth. PBS Viewer Services responded to this letter in
March saying that the objective of the panel is to examine the
controversy behind the genocide among historians and the station has no
plans to cancel the program.
Assembly Board of Directors Chairman Anthony Barsamian followed up with
a letter to the new President and Chief Executive Officer Paula Kerger
of PBS stating that there is an overwhelming amount of historical
verification of the Armenian Genocide including thousands of documents
kept at the U.S. National Archives. He concluded his letter by
requesting that PBS urge its member stations not to air the panel
discussion.
Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA) will host a
special screening of “The Armenian Genocide” for Members of Congress,
their staffs and members of the Washington, DC foreign policy community
at the U.S. Library of Congress on April 4.
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