Aravot , Armenia
Jan 15 2019
As little of 'Russia' as possible on the air and in life
by Ruben Mehrabayn
[Armenian News note: the below is translated from the Russian edition of Aravot]
In the Armenian information field, "discussions" are under way on the topics, which were settled in civilised countries long ago and in quite a broad spectrum, too, satisfying everyone – from conservatives to libertarians – within the frameworks of the pyramid of democratic pluralism.
Armenia makes 'big step towards democracy'
Due to the revolution and the free elections that followed, Armenia made a big step towards democracy. This has been proved by international reports and three things have become obvious:
– There is no alternative to democracy in Armenia;
– Development of public relations in Armenia is objectively and irreversibly leading towards democracy,
– A lot is to be done in Armenia to become a democratic society.
In order to avoid all possible deformations, regress, and manipulations in this process of development of public relations and in order to keep the process in the normal course, it is extremely important not to allow opportunities for simple subversive acts in the information field to be as ample as they are now.
Situation in mass media undergoes 'significant' changes
Of course, the situation has undergone significant changes compared to 2012-2016, when "the news line" of the Russian propaganda and its "images" were translated into Armenian, being force-fed as "international information" and imposed on consumers in Armenia, as were its agenda and the authoritarian "system of values", too.
In addition to this, there were different "Sputnik" [news agencies] of the Russian "mass media" already functioning in Armenia, which had already localised their targets, say, throwing mud at and cursing on a daily basis the Ukrainian Maydan and "[former Georgian President Mikheil] Saakashvili's criminal regime" for "carrying out coups", railing against "Soros" and other "anti-Armenian forces" and embracing between times their "agents" – Armenian rights activists and opposition figures "shattering stability".
Trying to behave in a more "fignified" manner, the First Channel of the Public Broadcaster [PB] was busy only praising the authorities and their "policy", which was aimed to "strengthen centuries-old friendship" with Moscow and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. However, with its "shows", "military and patriotic education" imposed by the "stars", who had turned into propagandists, and so forth, it mainly carried out the function of producing zombies on a massive scale.
Public Broadcaster establishing standards for other media outlets
The revolution blew out the local criminal and oligarchic "vertical", which had the "hand lever" in Moscow and whose loud and talkative, and big and small knockings have undergone self-marginalisation. Their pronouncements and "concern" about different topics are hardly interesting for anyone even in the buildings they live in. Inevitable changes in the information policy of the PB First Channel are just as inevitably establishing standards for other TV stations, marginalising "left-right deviations".
Information like, say, voicing dissatisfaction with the Armenian authorities, protest rallies in Russia, Kazakhstan, or Belarus, or the protest rally at the entrance to the 102nd Russian military base under the slogan "Russian Army, get out of Armenia!" is no longer tabooed. There is no bilious irony, which was typical in the past, or "Eurasian" arrogance. There are facts and explanations. As for the remaining estimation, this is left to listeners. Private stations feel freer to "inject" their preferences and systems of values to the subtexts of their news lines. This is also normal and understandable. However, disinformation and information sabotage is a different matter, particularly when it is voiced in unison with the propaganda of another state, even if it is a" centuries-old friend".
One part of Armenian society still sensitive to disinformation
Unfortunately, the active segment of our society still remains extremely sensitive to subversions of the kind and information attacks. And there is a lot to be done by our information systems to become able to repel like teflon and throw away rubbish of the kind out of the field.
When it comes to the future of the Army, they speak a lot about Israel. However, they forget that Israel has not only the Army, which can and should be taken for a model. Apart from foreign policy, reconnaissance, economy, science, agriculture, and other spheres, this country has an excellent complex of information systems, which is impossible to rock, say, by idiotic anti-Israeli statements by a Moscow-based Jew or disinformation or informational subversive act on the part of some Russian website.
Indeed, this is not something to be achieved in a day. And the steps, which are being taken in our country, lead to the maturity of the information field and that of society – the main consumer of information. At the same time, it is obvious that in Israel, they achieved this in conditions of freedom of speech, which was subject to minimum limitations, if any at all, exclusively when related to military secrets. Incidentally, during the April [2016] four-day war, Armenia showed a serious potential in terms of serving the interests of the state and the nation on the part of the information system. In contrast to this, Azerbaijan acted according to the "Russian version", copying the rough and cynical propaganda and trolling in the style of [Russian journalist Vladimir] Kiselev and Sputnik and introducing a total embargo on the dissemination of real information.
Armenia to do things in 'non-Russian' style to succeed
This has become yet another factor showing us that regarding the issue, there is only one thing we need to learn from Russians: How [things] should by no means be done. Of course, on the air of some TV stations, we will see provincial copies of "leading" Russian TV stations for some time, which is definitely of inertial nature. And for some more time, they will be in demand to some extent. However, it is obvious that we do things perfectly, when we do them "non-Russian style" sphere by sphere, step by step, including the air and life in general. Our society is not "Russian". Its texture is different and it "works differently". And it is impossible not to take this into account, when the goal is to move forwards.
P.S. Incidentally, even in Belarus, they are going to impose limitations on Russian TV broadcasters in the local air.