RESULTS OF FIRST STAGE OF MONITORING OF A NUMBER OF ARMENIAN
ELECTRONIC MEDIA PUBLISHED
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The methodology of monitoring of
media being held from February 5 by Council of Europe jointly with
Caucasian Media Institute is based on calculation of time given by a
number of TV and radio companies of Armenia for covering activity of
this or that party or politician. David Ward, international expert,
project’s consultant, declared this at the February 16 press
conference dedicated to summing up the results of the first stage of
monitoring. He stated that content and tone of broadcasts are also
examined.
Nina Iskandarian, head of the project, reported that according to the
results of 11 days of TV broadcasts monitoring, the Public Television
of Armenia gave more than 70% time to parties making part of the
ruling coalition. The Yerkir-media and Shant TV companies paid more
attention (60%) to parties not making part of the ruling coalition. It
was mentioned that though ALM allocated more than 70% time to parties
not making part of the coalition, nevertheless, the activity of
People’s Party, the leader of which is ALM’s owner, was in the center
of attention.
Both radio companies being studied – the Public Radio and Radio
Liberty, in their broadcasts gave more time to parties not making part
of the ruling coalition, here the ratio made 60% to approximately 40%.
N. Iskandarian reported that at the second stage of monitoring, which
will start two weeks before the elections scheduled for May 12,
besides four TV companies studied currently, another two TV companies
– Armenia and Kentron, will be also studied. In her words, time and
tone of broadcasts dedicated to each party running for the elections
will be studied this time.