AT PRESENT ARMENIAN MEDIA ARE MORE NEUTRAL IN COVERAGE OF POLITICAL PROCESSES THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS, ALEXANDER ISKANDARIAN CONSIDERS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 12 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Broadcasts on political subjects
of 2007 preelection period of Armenian TV and radio companies are
more neutral than those broadcast in the same period in previous
years. Political scientist Alexander Iskandarian, Director of
Caucasian Media Institute, expressed such opinion at the April 12 press
conference taking as a basis the results of the monitoring conducted by
the Institute. He said that starting February 5, political broadcasts
of 6 TV companies (H1, Armenia, Shant, Yerkir Media, Kentron, ALM)
and 2 radio stations (Public Radio, Radio Liberty) were observed
during the monitoring. According to A. Iskandarian’s observation, the
majority of the above mentioned media report without any commentary
that, for instance, some party gives out fruits and vegetables in
some districts of Yerevan. In that circumstance, in his words, a TV
viewer is given a possibility to analyse the fact on his/her own.

In the political scientist’s opinion, in general, few time is given
to materials on parties in Armenia. And among these few broadcasts,
according to his observation, broadcasts on Republican Party of Armenia
prevail. In particular, as A. Iskandarian said, 46% broadcasts and
information programs of Radio Liberty’s Armenian editorial office are
dedicated to RPA. In his words, the picture is the same in another
media with the exception of ALM and Kentron. A. Iskandarian said
that 78% broadcasts of ALM is dedicated to President of ALM holding
and Chairman of People’s Party Tigran Karapetian and 48% Kentron’s
broadcasts to Bargavach Hayastan’s activity. He added that Yerkir Media
comparatively distinguishes itself by variety of political broadcasts.