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YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
MARCH 3-9, 2006
HIGHLIGHTS:
"PRESS CLUB+": NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC UNION ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
AND ARMENIA'S PLACE IN THE REGION
2005 REPORT OF US DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REGULATION BODIES GIVE ACCOUNT
"PRESS CLUB+": NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC UNION ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
AND ARMENIA'S PLACE IN THE REGION
On March 7 the first issue of "Press Club+" talk show cycle went on "Yerkir
Media" TV evening air (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, February 17-23, 2006).
The guests of Aram Abrahamian, program host, Chief Editor of "Aravot" daily,
were the leaders of National Democratic Union. The experts invited were
representatives of media and NGOs. The TV discussion was on the amendments
to RA Constitution, adopted at November 27, 2005 referendum, within the
context of separation of power braches, and Armenia's place in the South
Caucasus, possibilities of developing regional cooperation.
It is planned that next Tuesday, March 14 at 21.00 the representatives of
"Orinats Yerkir" party will share their views on hot issues at "Press
Club+".
2005 REPORT OF US DEPARTMENT OF STATE
On March 8 US Department of State released its report on human rights
practices in 2005 in different countries of the world, prepared by the
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.
Referring to the situation of freedom of speech and press in Armenia, US
Department of State notes in particular "while the law provides for freedom
of speech and of the press, the government partially limited freedom of
speech" and "there were incidents of violence, intimidation, and
self-censorship in the press".
According to the authors of the report, private print media actively
expressed various views, "but no newspaper was completely independent of the
patronage from economic or political interest groups or individuals".
Because of low newspaper circulation, most people in Armenia relied on
broadcast media for information, which, similarly to print media, are mainly
private. "In the capital and regional cities, private television stations
offered generally independent news coverage of good technical quality."
Alongside this, the report emphasizes, that the substantive quality of TV
and radio news reporting varied due to self-censorship by journalists and
the stations' dependence on patronage. The major broadcast media "generally
kept to progovernment lines". "Economic pressure on broadcast media was more
common than outright political pressure, including authorities requesting
bribes, and advertising revenues used to influence programming."
The report runs that senior officials of RA President's office "continued to
provide policy guidance" to First Channel of Public Television of Armenia.
While its coverage was mainly factual, First Channel avoided editorial
commentary or criticism of the government.
Not giving broadcast license to "A1+", "one of the country's last
independent television stations", was, as observers think, politically
motivated for criticizing President Kocharian's administration. The attempts
of the TV Company to resume air are still unsuccessful, the report notes.
According to US Department of State, foreign media overall freely operate on
the territory of the country. At the same time, for three days beginning on
the day of the constitutional referendum (November 27, 2005), Radio "Free
Europe"/Radio "Liberty" broadcasts were periodically inaudible. The Public
Radio of Armenia (the First Program of which is aired on the same frequency
as the Armenian Service of RFE/RL) explained these disruptions by technical
problems. However, "some observers alleged the disruptions were politically
motivated", the report says.
Harassment of the journalists is still a problem, the State Department
emphasizes, noting that "there were unconfirmed reports of incidents of
harassment and intimidation of journalists outside the capital".
In contrast to the previous years, in 2005 "there were no reports of police
beating journalists". One of the official documents of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs mentioned one case "involving possible violence against a
reporter" still under investigation, "at year's end the circumstances
surrounding the case were unclear". The report also refers to a very mild
punishment on the case of assaulting a photo reporter in August 2004 in
Tsaghkadzor.
"There was no official censorship; however, there were continued reports of
intimidation of journalists, and some print journalists continued to
practice self-censorship to avoid problems with the government and because
of pressure from official sources", the report stresses. US Department of
State concluded that "during the year there were no charges brought against
journalists for libel of a public official".
REGULATION BODIES GIVE ACCOUNT
In "TV Alik" weekly (review of TV and radio programs) of March 6-12, 2006,
account on the activity of the Council of RA Public TV and Radio Company in
2005 was published. Earlier, in the same weekly (February 27 - March 5,
2006) a report was publicized on the last year work of National Commission
on Television and Radio, the body, regulating private broadcasting. The
accounts are issued in compliance with RA Law "On Television and Radio".
When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.
You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]
Subscription for the Newsletter is free. To subscribe or unsubscribe from
this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]
Editor of YPC Newsletter - Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
375002, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 10) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 10) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site: www.ypc.am
MARCH 3-9, 2006
HIGHLIGHTS:
"PRESS CLUB+": NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC UNION ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
AND ARMENIA'S PLACE IN THE REGION
2005 REPORT OF US DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REGULATION BODIES GIVE ACCOUNT
"PRESS CLUB+": NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC UNION ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
AND ARMENIA'S PLACE IN THE REGION
On March 7 the first issue of "Press Club+" talk show cycle went on "Yerkir
Media" TV evening air (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, February 17-23, 2006).
The guests of Aram Abrahamian, program host, Chief Editor of "Aravot" daily,
were the leaders of National Democratic Union. The experts invited were
representatives of media and NGOs. The TV discussion was on the amendments
to RA Constitution, adopted at November 27, 2005 referendum, within the
context of separation of power braches, and Armenia's place in the South
Caucasus, possibilities of developing regional cooperation.
It is planned that next Tuesday, March 14 at 21.00 the representatives of
"Orinats Yerkir" party will share their views on hot issues at "Press
Club+".
2005 REPORT OF US DEPARTMENT OF STATE
On March 8 US Department of State released its report on human rights
practices in 2005 in different countries of the world, prepared by the
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.
Referring to the situation of freedom of speech and press in Armenia, US
Department of State notes in particular "while the law provides for freedom
of speech and of the press, the government partially limited freedom of
speech" and "there were incidents of violence, intimidation, and
self-censorship in the press".
According to the authors of the report, private print media actively
expressed various views, "but no newspaper was completely independent of the
patronage from economic or political interest groups or individuals".
Because of low newspaper circulation, most people in Armenia relied on
broadcast media for information, which, similarly to print media, are mainly
private. "In the capital and regional cities, private television stations
offered generally independent news coverage of good technical quality."
Alongside this, the report emphasizes, that the substantive quality of TV
and radio news reporting varied due to self-censorship by journalists and
the stations' dependence on patronage. The major broadcast media "generally
kept to progovernment lines". "Economic pressure on broadcast media was more
common than outright political pressure, including authorities requesting
bribes, and advertising revenues used to influence programming."
The report runs that senior officials of RA President's office "continued to
provide policy guidance" to First Channel of Public Television of Armenia.
While its coverage was mainly factual, First Channel avoided editorial
commentary or criticism of the government.
Not giving broadcast license to "A1+", "one of the country's last
independent television stations", was, as observers think, politically
motivated for criticizing President Kocharian's administration. The attempts
of the TV Company to resume air are still unsuccessful, the report notes.
According to US Department of State, foreign media overall freely operate on
the territory of the country. At the same time, for three days beginning on
the day of the constitutional referendum (November 27, 2005), Radio "Free
Europe"/Radio "Liberty" broadcasts were periodically inaudible. The Public
Radio of Armenia (the First Program of which is aired on the same frequency
as the Armenian Service of RFE/RL) explained these disruptions by technical
problems. However, "some observers alleged the disruptions were politically
motivated", the report says.
Harassment of the journalists is still a problem, the State Department
emphasizes, noting that "there were unconfirmed reports of incidents of
harassment and intimidation of journalists outside the capital".
In contrast to the previous years, in 2005 "there were no reports of police
beating journalists". One of the official documents of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs mentioned one case "involving possible violence against a
reporter" still under investigation, "at year's end the circumstances
surrounding the case were unclear". The report also refers to a very mild
punishment on the case of assaulting a photo reporter in August 2004 in
Tsaghkadzor.
"There was no official censorship; however, there were continued reports of
intimidation of journalists, and some print journalists continued to
practice self-censorship to avoid problems with the government and because
of pressure from official sources", the report stresses. US Department of
State concluded that "during the year there were no charges brought against
journalists for libel of a public official".
REGULATION BODIES GIVE ACCOUNT
In "TV Alik" weekly (review of TV and radio programs) of March 6-12, 2006,
account on the activity of the Council of RA Public TV and Radio Company in
2005 was published. Earlier, in the same weekly (February 27 - March 5,
2006) a report was publicized on the last year work of National Commission
on Television and Radio, the body, regulating private broadcasting. The
accounts are issued in compliance with RA Law "On Television and Radio".
When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.
You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]
Subscription for the Newsletter is free. To subscribe or unsubscribe from
this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]
Editor of YPC Newsletter - Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
375002, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 10) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 10) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site: www.ypc.am