YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

JANUARY 23-29, 2009

HIGHLIGHTS:

"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: ECONOMIC CRISIS AND DEMOCRATIC REFORMS

PACE BELIEVES THAT THE DIGITALIZATION MUST NOT BE USED TO DELAY THE HOLDING
OF BROADCAST LICENSING COMPETITION

COMPETITION OPENED FOR TWO VACANCIES IN THE PTRC COUNCIL

WINNERS OF "A COUPLE OF WORDS ABOUT WOMEN" CONTEST ANNOUNCED

"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: ECONOMIC CRISIS AND DEMOCRATIC REFORMS

On January 24 on "Yerkir Media" TV company another "Press Club" show was
aired. The cycle is produced under Yerevan Press Club project, supported by
the Human Rights and Governance Grants Program of Open Society Institute.
The guests of the TV program host, YPC President Boris Navasardian were the
RA National Assembly deputy, member of "Dashnaktsutiun" faction Ara Nranian,
External Affairs Officer of the World Bank Yerevan Office Vigen Sargsian,
Director of "Political Economy" Research Institute Andranik Tevanian. The
program participants discussed the interrelation between overcoming the
economic crisis and the effectiveness of democratic reforms.

The next "Press Club" show will be aired on "Yerkir Media" on Saturday,
January 31, at 17.40.

PACE BELIEVES THAT THE DIGITALIZATION MUST NOT BE USED TO DELAY THE HOLDING
OF BROADCAST LICENSING COMPETITION

On January 27 at the winter plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of
the Council of Europe Resolution 1643 (2009) "The Implementation by Armenia
of Assembly Resolutions 1609 (2008) and 1620 (2008)" was approved. As it has
been reported, the draft resolution was released by the Committee on the
Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of
Europe on December 18, 2008, and stipulated a sanction of suspension of
voting rights of the Armenian delegation (see YPC Weekly Newsletter,
December 19-25, 2008). The adopted text of this document did not provide for
such a sanction.

Clause 10 of Resolution 1643 (2009) deals with the situation in the media
domain. Thus, in item 10.1 the PACE "welcomes the proposals made with a view
to ensuring the independence of the media regulatory bodies in Armenia and
calls upon the authorities to fully implement the forthcoming
recommendations of the Council of Europe experts in this regard". Item 10.2
of the Resolution refers to the amendment to the RA Law "On Television and
Radio", adopted by the Armenian parliament on September 10, 2008, according
to which the conductance of broadcast licensing competitions is suspended
till July 20, 2010 due to the need to prepare the transition from analogue
to digital broadcasting (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, September 5-11, 2008).
With this item the PACE underlines that "the technical requirements for the
introduction of digital broadcasting should not be used by the authorities
to unduly delay the holding of an open, fair and transparent tender for
broadcasting licenses, as demanded by the Assembly".

COMPETITION OPENED FOR TWO VACANCIES IN THE PTRC COUNCIL

RA President Serge Sargsian signed a decree to hold a competition for two
vacancies in the Council of Public TV and Radio Company. The competition
jury included: the chairman – Gevorg Kostandian (Assistant to the President
of Armenia); secretary – Ara Saghatelian (Acting Director of the Center of
Public Relations and Information); jury members – Konstantin Petrosov (head
of the Armenian Branch of "RIA-Novosti" Russian news agency), Ruben Kevorkov
(Chairman of the Union of Cinematographers of Armenia), Lia Khachatrian
(head of "Development and Integration" NGO).

Armenian citizens, who are reputed and competent professionals in
journalism, law, TV and radio management, science, culture and arts, have
higher education and are fluent in Armenian language, can take part in the
competition. The following individuals are ineligible for the position of
PTRC Council member: members of governing bodies of political parties;
foreign citizens and people with no citizenships; heads of public and
private TV and radio companies; individuals having contractual relations
with TV and radio companies. The deadline for application submission is
February 9, 2009.

The competition for filling in vacancies in PTRC Council was announced due
to the term expiration of the Council Deputy Chairman Vardan Kopian and
Council member Artur Grigorian.

WINNERS OF "A COUPLE OF WORDS ABOUT WOMEN" CONTEST ANNOUNCED

On January 27 at the Yerevan State Puppet Theater the winners of the annual
media competition titled "A Couple of Words About Women" were announced. The
competition was organized by the British Council Armenia and the OSCE Office
in Yerevan. The competition jury reviewed pieces on the activities and
achievements of women in the political, public, economic spheres,
published/aired in January-December 2008. The competition winners were
awarded a Na/Ne prize and a monetary award, the participants who gained the
second and the third places received honorary diplomas.

In "TV program" nomination the first place was shared by the creative group
of Internews Media Support NGO, for a program of "With a New Line" cycle,
and the correspondent of "GALA-News" newscast of "GALA" TV company of Gyumri
Marineh Lazarian, for the piece "The Only Woman Who Drives a Taxi". The
jury decided not to award the second and the third places.

In "Printed Article" nomination the winner is Karineh Petrosian for article
"Happiness for a Woman – Different Indeed", published in "Woman and
Politics" insert, distributed through a number of newspapers. The second
place was gained by the Chief Editor of "Ban u Gorts" newspaper Susanna
Shakhnazarian, for article "People are Equal in Applying for a Position".
The diploma for the third place was granted to Asya Tsaturova for article
"Winning Bread With No Butter", published in "Woman and Politics" insert.

In "Online Article" nomination the first place was taken by the
correspondent of "ArmeniaNow" Sara Khojoyan – for article "Woman’s Work".
The second and the third places, respectively, were gained by Marianna
Grigorian for article "In Armenian Politics Wives of Candidates Remain in
the Backstage", published on EurasiaNet web site, and correspondent of
"ArmeniaNow" Vahan Ishkhanian for article "Revealed. Armenian Homosexual
Women Raise Curtain".

In "Radio Program" nomination the first place was taken by Ripsimeh
Manaserian for a story in "Yerevan" program of the Public Radio of Armenia.
The second was Zara Kocharian for a piece in "LyunSe" program of the Public
Radio of Armenia. It was decided not to grant the third place.

In "Social Advertising" nomination "Altera" agency was recognized a winner,
for its "Against Domestic Violence" clip. Neither second nor third place was
granted.

In "Commercial Advertising" nomination the first was "Proxy" agency, for the
clip of HSBC bank. The second place was gained by "Monkey Production" for
the clip of the Glendale Hills construction company. The third diploma was
granted to "Kate" agency, for advertisement of "Nor Tun" goods.

When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.

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pressclub@ypc.am

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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
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