YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER 17-23, 2004
HIGHLIGHTS:
YPC ANNUAL AWARD
INTERNATIONAL STRUCTURES AND MEDIA
WHAT DOES THE PLAINTIFF WANT?
APPEAL OF “INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS” DECLINED
MEDIA RESPONSE TO SUPERSYSTEM
OVER THIRTY FREQUENCIES TO BE COMPETED FOR
INTERNEWS ARMENIA AWARDED TV JOURNALISTS
PTA YOUTH CHANNEL CHANGES ITS NAME
YPC ANNUAL AWARD
On September 22 at the Business Center of American University of Armenia the
Annual Award ceremony of Yerevan Press Club was held. The award was
established in 1998 to encourage the greatest accomplishments of journalists
and media organizations of Armenia (see YPC web-site, www. ypc.am , “Awards”
section). This year the ceremony was organized by Yerevan Press Club jointly
with “Partnership for Open Society” initiative.
The jury, who determined the awardees, included: Vardan Aloyan (Director of
CS Publishing House, previously, the former Chief Editor of “Respublika
Armenia” newspaper), Arshavir Gazazian (Correspondent of “Deutsche Welle”
radio station in Armenia), Ruzan Khachatrian (Correspondent of Radio
“Liberty” Armenian Service), Nune Sargsian (Executive Director of Internews
Armenia), Vigen Sargsian (External Relations Officer of the World Bank
Mission in Armenia).
The YPC awardees for this year are:
The web site of “A1+” TV company – for being up-to-date and
becoming an established online medium;
Hakob Berberian, photojournalist – for creative depiction of social
problems;
Armen Melikbekian, sports commenter of the Public Television of Armenia –
for competent and impartial commenting on the Spain and Europe Football
Championships;
“Photolure” news agency – for creative progress in 2003-2004;
Atom Margarian, observer of Radio “Liberty” Armenian Service – for the best
coverage of economic issues;
Hranush Hakobian, chairwoman of the Standing Commission of the RA National
Assembly on Science, Education, Culture and Youth Issues – for being open
and transparent in work and for effective cooperation with journalists.
Traditionally special prizes were conferred on awardees by missions of
international organizations and public sector.
The Media Diversity Institute Coordinator in Armenia Artur Papian awarded
Hakob Berberian.
The Head of World Bank Mission in Armenia Roger Robinson granted a prize to
Atom Margarian.
The Chairwoman of the Journalists Union of Armenia Astghik Gevorgian
conferred a special award to Armen Melikbekian.
Hranush Hakobian, the web site of “A1+” TV company and “Photolure” news
agency were awarded prizes by “Partnership for Open Society” initiative.
INTERNATIONAL STRUCTURES AND MEDIA
On September 19-21 in Tsaghkadzor seminar “International Structures and
Media: Relations and Ethics” was held, organized by Yerevan Press Club with
the assistance of Friedrich Ebert Foundation. The seminar brought together
representatives of media and international organizations. The presentations
and discussions were devoted to the Armenian media coverage of international
structures, in particular, the Council of Europe, UN, the Open Society
Institute, USAID, the role of these organizations as an information source
on developments of interest to Armenia. The event was a part of a joint
project of YPC and Friedrich Ebert Foundation, aimed at the development of
media self-refutation mechanisms and principles of journalistic ethics in
Armenia. The theme of the last seminar was prompted by the active interest
of media during the recent months to international organizations and the
urgency of the problem of maintaining professional norms while covering
their activities.
WHAT DOES THE PLAINTIFF WANT?
On September 20 the RA Court of Appeals dismissed the suit of the resident
of Khachpar village of Ararat region Marineh Gabrielian versus the Chief
Editor of “Ararat” regional newspaper Karineh Ashughian because of the
absence of the plaintiff’s representative from the hearings. Marineh
Gabrielian had challenged with the Court of Appeals the ruling of the
primary jurisdiction court of Ararat region, Masis city, of December 23,
2003, according to which the suit on compensating the material damage was
left unconsidered for the same reason – the absence of the plaintiff’s
representative at the court session (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, December
19-25, 2003). Marineh Gabrielian had demanded to compensate her expenses of
125,000 drams (about $ 220), incurred, as she alleged, during the previous
litigations between the parties in 2001-2002 (see details in YPC Weekly
Newsletter, November 7-13, 2003).
While commenting on this lengthy litigation, Yerevan Press Club noted that
having taken the plaintiff’s side and obliging the Chief Editor (in July
2002) to publish a refutation for the communication confirmed by 115 people,
the court actually created a dangerous precedent. The plaintiff, inspired by
her success, went further and is now demanding to be compensated the
material damage, at the same time, strange as it may seem, not going into
the trouble of either being present herself or sending a representative to
the court session.
APPEAL OF “INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS” DECLINED
On September 16 the RA Court of Appeals refused the suit of “Investigative
Journalists” NGO versus the Yerevan municipality. As it has been reported,
in early July the organization challenged the ruling of the court of
primary jurisdiction of Center and Nork-Marash communities of Yerevan of
June 21 that refused securing the demand of the plaintiff to the
administration of the capital to provide it with documents necessary for
journalistic investigation (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, July 2-8, 2004). The
documents in question were the resolutions of the municipality of 1997-2003
on the constructions in the public green zone around the National Opera and
Ballet Theater. The ruling of the court of primary jurisdiction had the
motivation that the organization had not attempted to get the information
needed from other state agencies before addressing the municipality, and its
inquiry was not specific enough. On their behalf “Investigative Journalists”
sent a new inquiry to the municipality, listing all the enterprises of
interest that are operating today on the territory around the Opera and
Ballet Theater.
At the hearings of the Court of Appeals, the municipality representative
read out the response to this query that said in particular: “The document
package on the enterprises that use the land is addended by State Register
certificates. The State Register certificates the names of the founders of
enterprises are not specified, therefore, the information on land allocation
to the enterprises specified by you cannot be provided.” Although inquiry
was centered not around the names of the enterprise owners, but on the
legitimacy of them being allocated the territories, and dismissing the
argumentation of the plaintiff on access to information in accordance with
the legislation in force in Armenia, the court of secondary jurisdiction
refused the appeal of “Investigative Journalists”. The organization
announced that it intends to challenge the decision with the RA Court of
Cassation.
MEDIA RESPONSE TO SUPERSYSTEM
During the opening of “CS Media City” holding on September 4, 2004 (see YPC
Weekly Newsletter, September 3-9, 2004), the Armenian President Robert
Kocharian by pushing a button launched a system capable of transmitting 50
TV channels in gigaherz frequency spectrum. Over some time already this
system (referred to as “supersystem”) and its owner, the previously unknown
“A UP” company, have been advertised on “Armenia” TV channel. The launch
give a rise to a torrent of publications in Armenian press that, apparently,
is going to be continued, and that questions the arguments usually quoted as
motivation for depriving “A1+” TV company of air.
On September 9 “Aravot” daily published an article by observer Anna
Israelian “There Goes the Supersystem!”, which quotes the Head of Licensing
and Methodology Department of National Commission on Television and Radio
Ishkhan Vardanian: “Presently NCTR has no vacant GHz frequency. We did not
provide frequency in this spectrum to any company. “A UP” company, whose
commercial can frequently be seen on air, is unknown to us, it has no
license. (…) The Commission has already warned the appropriate bodies of
the need to take steps to stop the illegal broadcasting.” The question of
why then in this spectrum AATV company is broadcasting nowadays was answered
by Mr. Vardanian to the effect that AATV has had a ten-year license since
1997, of which it was deprived during the re-licensing of 2001, since the
license was granted not for broadcasting but for other services. “However,
the investments are protected by the law and if due to a law amendment
economic process is obstructed, the investor has a right to continue the
activities for five years. In any case, today, these frequencies are subject
to licensing by competition. I find it hard, however, to predict, when the
competition will be held”, Ishkhan Vardanian added. It should be noted that
the list of TV and radio frequencies, received by Yerevan Press Club after
an inquiry filed with NCTR, the 2501-2700 MHz spectrum in question is listed
as subject to listening by competition.
The Chairman of “Investigative Journalists” NGO Edik Baghdasarian
highlighted some questionable points in the activities of “Armenia” TV
channel and the newly-established “CS Media City” in his article “Having
Seen a Button, Do Not Press It”, published in “Aravot” daily on September
16.
The piece of Ara Meliksetian “Framing in Public” (“Golos Armenii” newspaper,
September 18) says in particular: “Apparently, the unpleasant story of
“Armenia” TV channel could have gone without a scandal, but for the
particularly sensitive attention of the colleagues to the fate of another
Armenian broadcaster, “A1+” TV company. Hardly any journalist would have
questioned the legitimacy of the diligently advertised television novelty,
presented by “Armenia”, had there been no reasonable question: how come
there is a frequency for a new re-broadcasting project, while none can be
found for “A1+” TV company? The search for an answer to this very natural
question resulted in a quite incidental disclosure of one of the biggest
frauds of our reality. And it is big only because the head of the state was
unwillingly involved in it.” “Apparently, Robert Kocharian himself did not
have suspicions on the legitimacy of the occurrence”, Ara Meliksetian
thinks. “He was, roughly speaking, simply framed. He was, as the saying
goes, played a dirty trick on.” In the opinion of the author of the article,
the President was framed by “various state agencies” and the “many-faced
people surrounding him”, “but the worst thing that the response of the head
of the state is still unknown to the public at large”.
Armen Hakobian in article “The Secret Supersystem of ‘Armenia'” (“Hayots
Ashkhar” daily of September 10) named the situation in place “a scandal in
the noble family”. “It has become known from trustworthy sources that the
head of ‘Armenia’ Bagrat Sargsian was yesterday summoned to the
administration of the President, where he was demanded explanations on what
happened”, the author writes. Besides, he notes that the broadcasting
without a license, along with unconscientious advertising are criminal
offences by Armenian legislation.
Yet, the advertising of the supersystem on “Armenia” TV has already been
stopped, but the situation still needs a consistent explanation by all the
persons and state institutions involved.
OVER THIRTY FREQUENCIES TO BE COMPETED FOR
On September 17, the National Commission on Television and Radio announced
broadcast licensing competitions on 30th UHF of Artashat (Ararat region) and
on two FMs in Yerevan – 100.6 and 101.1 MHz. Besides, the competitions were
announced for two FM-packages in a number of Armenian cities. The first
package includes eight frequencies: 106.1 of Noyemberian, 105.5 of Berd,
105.9 of Amasia, 104.2 of Stepanavan, 104.2 of Sisian, 105.1 of Goris, 104.7
of Kapan, 102.9 of Meghri. The second package includes twenty frequencies:
107.1 of Sevan, 106.6 of Gyumri, 106.3 of Vanadzor, 106.7 of Sisian, 105.4
of Meghri, 107.2 of Kapan, 105.6 of Goris, 102.8 of Jermuk, 104.8 of
Yeghegnadzor, 102.2 of Stepanavan, 100.4 of Ashtarak, 105.3 of Spitak, 105.5
of Hrazdan, 103.7 of Gavar, 100.2 of Dilijan, 101.6 of Ijevan, 103.6 of
Noyemberian, 100.5 of Artashat, 100.4 of Armavir, 101.3 of Echmiadzin.
The deadline for bids in the competition is on December 15, 2004. The
National Commission will consider the bids on December 28.
None of the frequencies mentioned is currently broadcast on. As it has been
reported, earlier, on September 16, the National Commission announced
competitions for five vacant frequencies, too (see YPC Weekly Newsletter,
September 10-16, 2004).
INTERNEWS ARMENIA AWARDED TV JOURNALISTS
On September 18 the results of competition of TV newscast among private TV
companies, held by Internews Armenia with financial assistance of USAID,
were announced. The prize in the nomination “News program of Yerevan-Based
TV company” was awarded to “Horizon” newscast of “Shant” (Yerevan), and
journalist of the same channel Artak Hovhannissian became an awardee in
nomination “Report on specific events: at the right time and place”. The
winner in the nomination of “News program of regional TV company” is
“Fortuna” TV (Stepanavan). The award “Special report: special approach” was
granted to Nerses Matinian (“Interkap” TV, Vanadzor). In two nominations
“Mirror: thematic report on the role of media” and “Journalistic
investigation: closed folder” no prizes were conferred. Also, two special
prizes were awarded to “Yerkir-Media” TV for the best launch and innovative
approach and Hakob Badalian (“AR” TV) for unique style. Incentive awards
were granted: “Keen glance” – Hasmik Ohanian (“Kentron” TV), “Promising
start” – Christina Mkrtchian (“Shant” TV, Gyumri) and Irina Hovhannissian
(“Yerkir-Media”).
PTA YOUTH CHANNEL CHANGES ITS NAME
Since September 20 the channel for youth of the Public Television of Armenia
“First Channel-Yerevan”, aired on 48th UHF of Yerevan, started to broadcast
with a new logotype “Nor Alik”. The programming policy of the channel has
changed, too: from now on it will not be airing the programs of PTA “First
Channel”.
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Press Club is required.
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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
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Yerevan Press Club
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375007, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 1) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 1) 53 56 61
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