ARMENIA GETS MIXED REVIEWS FROM INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS

International Journalist’s Network
June 28 2006

While there have been relatively few documented attacks on Armenian
journalists in recent months, reporting there remains clearly biased,
according to a European media watchdog.

Miklos Haraszti, media freedom representative for the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), recently paid a three-day
visit to Armenia. He said on June 21 that "the coverage of political
life still remains one-sided, both in private and public-service
broadcasting."

Although the constitution protects freedom of the press, the government
continues to restrict full media freedom in the country, observers
say. Most newspapers rely on funds from the government, politically
motivated individuals or parties to survive, and objectivity suffers.

Harazsti said that the government needs to speed up media reform in
the country, especially in light of parliamentary elections set for
next year. He also said that the broadcasting boards need to represent
more voices in order to support a diversity of broadcast media and
greater objectivity.