FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Azat Artsakh Tert, Nagorno Karabakh Republic
July 27 2007
Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly of America and ArmeniaNow.com
internet journal are pleased to announce the beginning of a
partnership project, intended to reach Armenia and the Diaspora with
news of the Assembly’s advocacy from the U.S. capital and matters of
general interest from Armenia. The cooperation between the Armenian
Assembly and ArmeniaNow will facilitate more efficient and broader
coverage on issues in Washington of special interest to Armenia and
Armenians worldwide. Specifically, when news of particular interest
breaks on Capitol Hill, ArmeniaNow journalists will provide informed,
fact-based reports for the journal’s readers. In 2007, ArmeaniaNow.com
was reporting 150,000 visits per month. "ArmeniaNow is a leading
online news service in Armenia with a proven record of disseminating
balanced and factual reports to a growing worldwide audience," said
Assembly Board of Trustees Member Anthony Barsamian.
The cooperation also makes it available for Armenian Assembly
and ArmeniaNow associates and interns to work in the ArmeniaNow
newsroom in Yerevan and the Assembly’s Washington, Los Angeles and
Yerevan offices, where they will gain a better understanding of the
inner workings of Congress, a sharper picture of U.S.-Armenia and
Armenia-Diaspora relations, as well as an appreciation of journalism
in an emerging democracy like Armenia. "This is a natural partnership
for the shared goals of ArmeniaNow and of the Assembly," said John
Hughes, editor of ArmeniaNow.com. "Our aim is to make our journal the
premiere source of information for local and Diaspora Armenians. At
the same time, we are pleased to serve an advocacy role for the
Assembly, whose work is consistent with our general philosophy of
strengthening Armenia’s place in the world." The partnership is made
possible through an Assembly grant to ArmeniaNow which, in addition to
creating a consistent presence for Assembly news through a designated
link on the website, will also make it possible for ArmeniaNow to
expand its influence by opening regional bureaus and upgrading its
technology. "We are encouraged by the quality of their work product,
by the independence and integrity of their newsroom operation, and
their commitment to open and independent journalistic standards,"
said Barsamian. Since its inception in 2002, ArmeniaNow has stood
as a model for other local media in Armenia by serving as a newsroom
laboratory and training journalists and editors in the concepts and
standards of western-style journalism. Based in Yerevan, ArmeniaNow is
published by New Times Journalism Training Center, a Non-Governmental
Organization. Since 2003, The NGO has been supported by the Armenian
General Benevolent Union. Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly
of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization
promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. It
is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt membership organization.