SYSTEM POLITICAL CHANGES NECESSARY FOR OVERCOMING PROBLEM OF SPHERE
OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH

YEREVAN, MARCH 31, NOYAN TAPAN. The March 31 seminar-discussion “Ways
of Overcoming the Information Crisis in Armenia” was dedicated to
issues of the freedom of speech in Armenia and the situation created
on the information field after closing the “A1+” and “Noyan Tapan”
TV channels. The National Civic Initiative organized the seminar. The
speakers, “A1+” Director Mesrop Movsisian and David Petrosian, the
political correspondent of the “Noyan Tapan” information center,
expressed anxiety concerning the present situation on the freedom
of speech in the country. According to M.Movsisian, the issue
of closing those TV channels is first of all the problem of the
whole society as after that the freedom of speech in Armenia began
dicreasing step by step. D.Petrosian mentioned that authorities of
Armenia as well as authorities of Russia, make an attempt to build a
“controlled democracy,” at the same time, mass media are used as a
mean of propaganda and a mean for making a fool of people. At the same
time, he expressed sorrow for the opposition as well has no concrete
program in the sphere of development of mass media and just comes to
“best wishes.” The discussion participants pointed out the absence of
financial independence of mass media, as one of the greatest problems
of today’s information field. According to D.Petrosian, independence of
press is first of all its financial independence. But, only 5-7 media
are financially independent in Armenia today. “Unfortunately, most
of our media “look at a sponsor’s hand,” D.Petrosian mentioned. The
discussion participants pointed out the regress in the issue of
the freedom of speech compared with early 90s, the low level of the
Armenian journalism. In D.Petrosian’s opinion, system political, legal
and economic changes are necessary for solution of these problems.