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Armenian Station Abruptly Suspends New RFE/RL Television Show
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036
tel: 202-457-6900 * fax: 202-457-6992
http://www.rferl.org
CONTACT: Donald Jensen +1-202-457-6948
PRESS RELEASE
(Prague/Washington--October 15, 2004) A new television program created
by and featuring news and analysis from RFE/RL's Armenian Service,
was abruptly pulled from the schedule of the local Armenian television
station "Kentron" on October 13, according to service director Hrair
Tamrazian. Although the television station's management has made no
comment on the decision, it is widely suspected that Kentron was
pressured to suspend further broadcasts of the program, either by
official interests or local media competitors.
The television show, a 30-minute long analytical program called
"Azatutiun" (Liberty), debuted to rave reviews on Kentron Sunday,
October 10 and was rebroadcast by Kentron the next day, October
11. Two days later, Tamrazian was informed by Kentron director Petros
Ghazarian that the show would be "indefinitely suspended." Kentron
has not commented on the reasons behind his station's decision.
Tamrazian said, "I am very disappointed that, after tireless efforts
by RFE/RL and Kentron that resulted in a very successful TV show, it
was suspended for as yet unknown reasons. I call on the authorities
to investigate this matter and hope that Kentron and RFE/RL will
continue in a joint project that was eagerly awaited by many viewers
and listeners in Armenia."
Many viewers called the Armenian Service after the show, to express
their appreciation for the program. Viewers said that the program
was a "breakthrough" for Armenian television, because of RFE/RL's
objectivity, as well as for featuring a new format with two moderators
(male and female) and the show's ability to "connect" with its
audience. The first show featured an exclusive report from Strasbourg
on recent debate about Armenia in the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe (PACE), as well as exclusive interviews about
Armenian-Turkish relations with Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian and new U.S. Ambassador John M. Evans.
Viewer enthusiasm, however, was tempered with suspicion that the
show may not remain on the air for long. Said one caller, a teacher:
"My neighbors and I would only love to watch Radio Liberty programs on
TV. But will the authorities agree to that? They kicked out A1+. Will
they let you go on TV?"
The suspension of the "Azatutiun" program was widely covered in
the Armenian press on October 14. According to the daily newspaper
"Haykakan Zhamanak," "Last Sunday Kentron viewers watched the televised
version of Radio Liberty, but their joy did not last long because
Kentron management decided to limit liberty on its air."
"Aravot" daily reported on its front page that "Azatutiun" had been
"closed." The paper went on to allege that the head of Armenian state
television and radio, Aleksan Harutiunian, was instrumental in the ban
because he wanted RFE/RL to lease airtime from his channel and pay for
that. But, "Aravot" writes, it also did not rule out political motives
behind the move, noting that it could be that "the authorities still
do not tolerate any uncontrolled programs on the air." Harutiunian,
in an interview published in today's edition of "Aravot," denied any
involvement in the suspension of "Azatutiun".
RFE/RL's Armenian Service broadcasts four hours of programming a
day to Armenia, produced in Prague and the service's Yerevan Bureau
and transmitted to listeners via shortwave, satellite and FM, AM,
Cable Radio, UKV and longwave signals provided by local affiliate
stations. Azerbaijani Service programming is also available via
the Internet, at the service's website www.armenialiberty.org and
at www.rferl.org.
# # #
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is a private, international
communications service to Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central and
Southwestern Asia funded by the U.S. Congress through the Broadcasting
Board of Governors.
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036
tel: 202-457-6900 * fax: 202-457-6992
http://www.rferl.org
CONTACT: Donald Jensen +1-202-457-6948
PRESS RELEASE
(Prague/Washington--October 15, 2004) A new television program created
by and featuring news and analysis from RFE/RL's Armenian Service,
was abruptly pulled from the schedule of the local Armenian television
station "Kentron" on October 13, according to service director Hrair
Tamrazian. Although the television station's management has made no
comment on the decision, it is widely suspected that Kentron was
pressured to suspend further broadcasts of the program, either by
official interests or local media competitors.
The television show, a 30-minute long analytical program called
"Azatutiun" (Liberty), debuted to rave reviews on Kentron Sunday,
October 10 and was rebroadcast by Kentron the next day, October
11. Two days later, Tamrazian was informed by Kentron director Petros
Ghazarian that the show would be "indefinitely suspended." Kentron
has not commented on the reasons behind his station's decision.
Tamrazian said, "I am very disappointed that, after tireless efforts
by RFE/RL and Kentron that resulted in a very successful TV show, it
was suspended for as yet unknown reasons. I call on the authorities
to investigate this matter and hope that Kentron and RFE/RL will
continue in a joint project that was eagerly awaited by many viewers
and listeners in Armenia."
Many viewers called the Armenian Service after the show, to express
their appreciation for the program. Viewers said that the program
was a "breakthrough" for Armenian television, because of RFE/RL's
objectivity, as well as for featuring a new format with two moderators
(male and female) and the show's ability to "connect" with its
audience. The first show featured an exclusive report from Strasbourg
on recent debate about Armenia in the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe (PACE), as well as exclusive interviews about
Armenian-Turkish relations with Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian and new U.S. Ambassador John M. Evans.
Viewer enthusiasm, however, was tempered with suspicion that the
show may not remain on the air for long. Said one caller, a teacher:
"My neighbors and I would only love to watch Radio Liberty programs on
TV. But will the authorities agree to that? They kicked out A1+. Will
they let you go on TV?"
The suspension of the "Azatutiun" program was widely covered in
the Armenian press on October 14. According to the daily newspaper
"Haykakan Zhamanak," "Last Sunday Kentron viewers watched the televised
version of Radio Liberty, but their joy did not last long because
Kentron management decided to limit liberty on its air."
"Aravot" daily reported on its front page that "Azatutiun" had been
"closed." The paper went on to allege that the head of Armenian state
television and radio, Aleksan Harutiunian, was instrumental in the ban
because he wanted RFE/RL to lease airtime from his channel and pay for
that. But, "Aravot" writes, it also did not rule out political motives
behind the move, noting that it could be that "the authorities still
do not tolerate any uncontrolled programs on the air." Harutiunian,
in an interview published in today's edition of "Aravot," denied any
involvement in the suspension of "Azatutiun".
RFE/RL's Armenian Service broadcasts four hours of programming a
day to Armenia, produced in Prague and the service's Yerevan Bureau
and transmitted to listeners via shortwave, satellite and FM, AM,
Cable Radio, UKV and longwave signals provided by local affiliate
stations. Azerbaijani Service programming is also available via
the Internet, at the service's website www.armenialiberty.org and
at www.rferl.org.
# # #
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is a private, international
communications service to Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central and
Southwestern Asia funded by the U.S. Congress through the Broadcasting
Board of Governors.