14:00, 13 April 2023

YEREVAN, APRIL 13, ARMENPRESS. The Chairman of the Television and Radio Commission of Armenia Tigran Hakobyan called on lawmakers to watch their language and refrain from using profanities during debates in order to reduce negative content and hate speech on television.

Hakobyan made the remarks in parliament during the debates on the commission’s 2022 report and freedom of information in the audio-video media, when asked by MP Gegham Nazaryan about the violations of the ethical norms and spread of hate speech and violence by online television companies.

“How will Armenia get rid of this garbage and disaster? People watch channels on their phones full of hate speech, evil, fake news. What can be done to regulate this issue?” Nazaryan asked.

“It is very difficult to fight against calls of violence, hate speech, generally negative content on the air if the same is happening in parliament during live broadcast debates. I don’t have the right to call upon you. But, if you want to reduce this on television, you must watch your language and not allow such lexicon here,” Hakobyan told lawmakers.