PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Center for National and International Studies
75 Yerznkian Street
Yerevan 0033, Armenia
Tel: (+374 – 10) 52.87.80 or 27.48.18
Fax: (+374 – 10) 52.48.46
Email: root@acnis.am or info@acnis.am
Website:
October 25, 2007
ACNIS FOCUSES ON MASS MEDIA
Yerevan–The Armenian Center for National and International Studies
(ACNIS) convened today a policy discussion in order thoroughly to look
at the media and their impact on the political developments in
Armenia. The meeting brought together media and public relations
experts from political parties, leading analysts, public and political
figures, and media representatives.
ACNIS research coordinator Syuzanna Barseghian welcomed the audience
with opening remarks. "As numerous sociological polls show, the mass
media have great bearing on public opinion," she said. "Nonetheless,
do they allow the society to draw a true picture of the political
events, to reach sound decisions, and to make mindful choices?"
Barseghian also stated that in line with the monitoring being
conducted by ACNIS, the Armenian media are not providing the
informational playing field necessary for the making of the right
selection.
In his intervention, Artak Zakarian of the Republican Party explored
the correlation between the media and the political forces. He pointed
to the several degrees of such relations and mentioned that the
commentaries made, and the assessments given, to form public opinion
do not always depict the actual reality. Moreover, in Zakarian’s view,
the media disregard numerous key sociopolitical matters while several
print and electronic reviews exceed the allowable limits of
subjectivity. "Certainly, this is unacceptable since one of the
media’s primary tasks is to guarantee the involvement, by a large
cross-section of the people, in the formation of a democratic and
civil society," Zakarian noted.
The next speaker, Hovsep Khurshudian of the Heritage Party, examined
the "neo-Bolshevik" ideology which seems to be adopted by members of
the Armenian press and stated that the Armenian media are polarized
and serve the interests of political forces. In Khurshudian’s words,
the greater part of the local media "speaks" as the voice of political
parties and therefore the absolute majority of the mass media really
functions as a propaganda machine. "In comparison with the print media
of democratic countries, most Armenian press demonstrates yellow
journalism and this adversely affects the level of societal trust
toward news media," Khurshudian asserted. He also added that new and
fresh ideas, which are indispensable for political development and
social progress, are inhibited in Armenia and sometimes are completely
blocked by the censorship exercised, and the instructions given, by
the upper echelons of power.
In his turn, Tatul Hakobian of Armenian public radio spoke about the
mass media’s growing role in the political processes and noted that
one of the avenues for raising the media’s effectiveness is to expand
news coverage. "Despite some radical manifestations, the media in
general are able to secure a diversity of opinion. The electronic
media, which sadly are still inaccessible for many public and
political figures, are becoming more widespread," Hakobian maintained.
Reflecting on the television boycott of various press clubs, he stated
that this relates to internal political processes, mentioning that the
coverage of the press briefings of several opposition members are not
very much to the liking of certain officials and that this is the main
reason for the administrative plan of shutting these clubs down.
The policy roundtable concluded with an exchange of views and policy
recommendations among Susanna Abrahamian of the Orinats Yerkir Party;
chairman Mikael Danielian of the Armenian Helsinki Association; Artak
Zeinalian of the Republic Party; publicist Artsrun Pepanian; ACNIS
director of administration Karapet Kalenchian; Anna Israelian of the
Aravot daily; political scientist Edward Antinian; Anzhela Tovmasian
of the "Hayeli" Press Club; Ruzan Khachaturian from the People’s
Party; Mesrop Harutiunian of the Yerevan Press Club; Petros Ghazarian
of Kentron television; Hakob Yumushadian of the Self-Determination
Union; and several others.
In the shared opinion of many roundtable participants, when covering
political developments the vast majority of the media is making a
selection which is impermissible and, as argued by the discussants,
the actions by the players in this field do not guarantee the media’s
constitutionally-affixed mission of providing accurate information by
means of objective coverage of the news, facts, and events.
Founded in 1994 by Armenia’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs Raffi
K. Hovannisian and supported by a global network of contributors,
ACNIS serves as a link between innovative scholarship and the public
policy challenges facing Armenia and the Armenian people in the
post-Soviet world. It also aspires to be a catalyst for creative,
strategic thinking and a wider understanding of the new global
environment. In 2007, the Center focuses primarily on civic education,
democratic development, conflict resolution, and applied research on
critical domestic and foreign policy issues for the state and the
nation.
For further information on the Center call (37410) 52-87-80 or
27-48-18; fax (37410) 52-48-46; email root@acnis.am or info@acnis.am;
or visit