MORE DIVERSITY NEEDED IN ARMENIA’S BROADCAST SECTOR: OSCE

IFEX, Canada
Aug. 23, 2006

Armenia’s broadcasting sector needs to be more diversified in order for
a wider range of different voices and views to be heard by the public,
a report by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) has recommended.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Miklos Haraszti said
in a report that broadcast media outlets are still predominantly
pro-government, despite the transformation of state television into
a public-service broadcaster and the existence of a number of private
channels.

"In order for Armenia to continue the process of media democratisation,
the broadcasting sector needs to reflect diversity of opinion and
… represent the political and social diversity of the country,"
Haraszti said.

The report offers recommendations for expanding media freedom in
the country.

Haraszti noted that while Armenia’s print media sector is pluralistic
and provides diverse and critical news coverage, readership is small.

The highest daily circulation of any publication is 3-4,000 copies.

However, on media reform, Haraszti said Armenia had made significant
progress, including the adoption of a progressive Freedom of
Information Law.

He also noted that there have been very few cases of violence against
journalists since 2005, and no libel cases have been launched against
the media for several years.

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