PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version: nian.htm
A DISCUSSION ON THE PRESS IN ARMENIA ORGANISED
IN THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA
The editorial board of "HASK", the official publication of the Catholicosate
of Cilicia, organized a discussion with Tatoul Hagopian, the Yerevan
correspondent of "Aztag" daily in the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s museum-hall
on the evening of August 8. The topic of the discussion addressed "the
current problems of the media in Armenia and the place of the Diaspora in
it". The editors and journalists of the Lebanese Armenian media attended
the event.
The opening remarks were delivered by the editor in chief of "HASK", V. Rev.
Krikor Chiftjian, who pointed out that in addition to being a medium for
information, the press is also a medium that creates conflict, anger and
satisfaction.
Referring to the current situation in Lebanon, V. Rev. Chiftjian said that a
communication with opinions, ideas, decisions, position and results was made
possible through the media in the last few days. He added that the media
once again proved its ability to provoke or calm down the masses by directly
affecting the emotions of people. V. Rev. Chiftjian concluded that the media
has an important role to play in destroying the wall between Armenia and the
Diaspora.
Reporter and analyst Tatoul Hagopian said during his lecture that the number
of newspaper readers in Armenia today is very little because the population
of Armenia follows the news primarily through broadcast media. He underlined
that the Armenian authorities have adopted a position not to interfere in
the media, adding that the press has no serious impact on public opinion.
Hagopian explained that the newspapers do not have much influence because
the majority of them are established by a group of individuals with the
purpose of making propaganda for them.
Among the difficulties the press in Armenia faces, Hagopian mentioned their
limited circulation, the use of foreign words and corruption. He pointed out
that despite the existence of freedoms for Armenian journalists, it is clear
today that there’s a lack of objective approaches in the Armenian press.
Hagopian assured, however, that the Press Club of Yerevan has an important
influence both in Armenia and outside Armenia.
In the second part of his talk, Hagopian discussed the place of the Diaspora
in the Armenian media. He said that it is usually in the event of negative
developments or occurrences that the press in Armenia reports about the
Diaspora. In this context, Hagopian mentioned that the press in Armenia
published analyses and interpretations of the war against Lebanon last
summer and the website of "Aztag" Daily played an important role in this.
Hagopian proposed that a correspondence network should be established
between Armenia and the Diaspora in order to achieve rapid and correct
reporting. He revealed that often political writings are published in
Armenia in return for financial compensation, a phenomenon that might have a
negative impact on the development of the press.
Hagopian also talked about the radio and television stations in Armenia, the
New Media (internet) and the foreign-language media, assuring that a healthy
competition exists between the radio stations in Armenia.
Hagopian’s talk was followed by questions from the attendants, who expressed
their viewpoints and asked for further explanations on several issues.
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The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about HASK, the
Official Periodical of the Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.