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PRESIDENT OF "A1+": "YOU CAN'T BUILD A COUNTRY WITH LIES"
A1+
08:07 pm | April 02, 2009
Interview
"There is lack of impartiality in an environment of fear. You can't
build a country with lies and an environment of fear," says president
of the "A1+" TV Mesrop Movsesyan.
It was exactly seven years ago on April 2 when the Armenian authorities
made the decision to shut down "A1+" television.
What changes did this bring to the field of journalism in Armenia and
for "A1+" during the past seven years? President of "Meltex" LTD and
"A1+" Mesrop Movsesyan answered to this and other questions.
-The shutdown of "A1+" in 2002 set the stage for an environment of fear
and that fear is deepening to this day. There is no way to provide
impartial information in this situation. As for "A1+", even after
the shutdown we showed how we can work in other fields of journalism
as a news agency and a website. During these years, I consider our
loyalty to principles and working style and the corroboration that
we want to live in a normal country and that this is our country to
be our greatest achievement.
-By loving your country you bring up all negative phenomena. Other
media outlets believe that you only need to give "good" news in order
to motivate the people. The shutdown of "A1+" for the first time in
2002 sent the message that you weren't showing "good" news.
-I have never heard anything more ignorant than that. News can't be
good or bad. It either corresponds to the reality or it doesn't. "A1+"
has always been concerned with showing the reality to the people,
yet the fact that the authorities can't put up with the reality that
they have created is a different story.
-The slogan of "A1+" is "Watch us and know yourselves". Why didn't
the authorities approve this?
-We presented everyone, including the authorities, the way they
were in reality. The authorities simply couldn't put up with that
and that's their problem. The authorities shut down "A1+" to hide
their mediocrity, stupidity and incompetence. Today, if I turn on
the television to watch the news and, as a citizen of Armenia, see
that the country they present is nothing like the country in which I
live and that lie makes me want to leave this country, then that news
is not "good" and something is not right. Unlike these authorities,
I am not an odd element in this country. I love my country and I
continue to work under these conditions for the sake of my country.
-Many people viewed the shutdown of "A1+" as a political solution
and this has been going on for the past seven years. What are the
authorities trying to solve now by not giving airtime back to "A1+"?
-First of all, they want to keep the environment of fear, keep all
television networks under their control and eradicate journalism as
a profession in Armenia. The aim of that is to isolate Armenia from
the world and finally lead it to a pitfall in order to rule everybody
and turn them into servants.
-After the shutdown of "A1+", you began to work as a news agency. Have
you come to grips with the fact that you will never be on air?
-Of course we have not come to grips with that thought. I am sure
that "A1+" will be back on air. Despite everything, I don't attach
importance to the fields of journalism, but the working style. I am
certain that my team will always work with the same principle and
working style regardless of whether we are on air, an agency or the
press. That is what matters to me. Even if our website is shut down,
we will always find ways to provide impartial news to the public. The
important thing is to be a professional. You can't always tiptoe,
as the current authorities are trying to do.
-If "A1+" were to change its working style, would it be on air and
would the authorities forgive you for your work and for being that
objective?
-I don't think that the authorities have to forgive me or my
team. "A1+" should consider forgiving or not forgiving them. I have
not committed a crime. "A1+" has worked and continues to work for
the people, our country because I want to live in a normal country
and want my kids to live in a normal country as well.
-You hope that "A1+" will be back on air, yet according to the change
made in the Law on "Television and Radio", there will be no contest
declared until 2011. This means that "A1+" will not be able to be on
air until 2011.
-There will be a contest because that law can't be enforced due to
several reasons. First, it is impossible to digitalize television
broadcasts by 2011. There are not enough funds and our country can't
spend that much money. They can't digitalize television just by one
law. You need serious brains and funds for that. Everybody knows
that the law was passed just to delay returning airtime to "A1+",
but that process can't go on forever.
The authorities think that if they give airtime back to "A1+", the
wave of protest will rise even higher.
However, they don't realize that keeping the shutdown contributes to
the wave of protest in the country.
-The authorities consider "A1+" to be the opposition and view the
shutdown as depriving them of speaking out.
-I am strictly against that approach. The judgment of the authorities
proves that they can speak on all television networks besides
"A1+" and the fact that they deprived the opposition of airtime is
really the case. "A1+" was on air for everyone-the opposition and the
authorities. Our objective was to let the people know about everybody's
opinion, but it was up to the people to decide. I stress once more
that a mass media outlet can't be pro-government or oppositional. That
was their guiding principle in 2002 and that is why we are in this
situation today. When people were being killed in central Yerevan on
March 1 last year, Armenian television networks were showing American
murder films. This goes to show that our country doesn't have a leader
and requires structural reforms. These authorities can't control the
situation any longer and it is time for them to leave.
A1+
08:07 pm | April 02, 2009
Interview
"There is lack of impartiality in an environment of fear. You can't
build a country with lies and an environment of fear," says president
of the "A1+" TV Mesrop Movsesyan.
It was exactly seven years ago on April 2 when the Armenian authorities
made the decision to shut down "A1+" television.
What changes did this bring to the field of journalism in Armenia and
for "A1+" during the past seven years? President of "Meltex" LTD and
"A1+" Mesrop Movsesyan answered to this and other questions.
-The shutdown of "A1+" in 2002 set the stage for an environment of fear
and that fear is deepening to this day. There is no way to provide
impartial information in this situation. As for "A1+", even after
the shutdown we showed how we can work in other fields of journalism
as a news agency and a website. During these years, I consider our
loyalty to principles and working style and the corroboration that
we want to live in a normal country and that this is our country to
be our greatest achievement.
-By loving your country you bring up all negative phenomena. Other
media outlets believe that you only need to give "good" news in order
to motivate the people. The shutdown of "A1+" for the first time in
2002 sent the message that you weren't showing "good" news.
-I have never heard anything more ignorant than that. News can't be
good or bad. It either corresponds to the reality or it doesn't. "A1+"
has always been concerned with showing the reality to the people,
yet the fact that the authorities can't put up with the reality that
they have created is a different story.
-The slogan of "A1+" is "Watch us and know yourselves". Why didn't
the authorities approve this?
-We presented everyone, including the authorities, the way they
were in reality. The authorities simply couldn't put up with that
and that's their problem. The authorities shut down "A1+" to hide
their mediocrity, stupidity and incompetence. Today, if I turn on
the television to watch the news and, as a citizen of Armenia, see
that the country they present is nothing like the country in which I
live and that lie makes me want to leave this country, then that news
is not "good" and something is not right. Unlike these authorities,
I am not an odd element in this country. I love my country and I
continue to work under these conditions for the sake of my country.
-Many people viewed the shutdown of "A1+" as a political solution
and this has been going on for the past seven years. What are the
authorities trying to solve now by not giving airtime back to "A1+"?
-First of all, they want to keep the environment of fear, keep all
television networks under their control and eradicate journalism as
a profession in Armenia. The aim of that is to isolate Armenia from
the world and finally lead it to a pitfall in order to rule everybody
and turn them into servants.
-After the shutdown of "A1+", you began to work as a news agency. Have
you come to grips with the fact that you will never be on air?
-Of course we have not come to grips with that thought. I am sure
that "A1+" will be back on air. Despite everything, I don't attach
importance to the fields of journalism, but the working style. I am
certain that my team will always work with the same principle and
working style regardless of whether we are on air, an agency or the
press. That is what matters to me. Even if our website is shut down,
we will always find ways to provide impartial news to the public. The
important thing is to be a professional. You can't always tiptoe,
as the current authorities are trying to do.
-If "A1+" were to change its working style, would it be on air and
would the authorities forgive you for your work and for being that
objective?
-I don't think that the authorities have to forgive me or my
team. "A1+" should consider forgiving or not forgiving them. I have
not committed a crime. "A1+" has worked and continues to work for
the people, our country because I want to live in a normal country
and want my kids to live in a normal country as well.
-You hope that "A1+" will be back on air, yet according to the change
made in the Law on "Television and Radio", there will be no contest
declared until 2011. This means that "A1+" will not be able to be on
air until 2011.
-There will be a contest because that law can't be enforced due to
several reasons. First, it is impossible to digitalize television
broadcasts by 2011. There are not enough funds and our country can't
spend that much money. They can't digitalize television just by one
law. You need serious brains and funds for that. Everybody knows
that the law was passed just to delay returning airtime to "A1+",
but that process can't go on forever.
The authorities think that if they give airtime back to "A1+", the
wave of protest will rise even higher.
However, they don't realize that keeping the shutdown contributes to
the wave of protest in the country.
-The authorities consider "A1+" to be the opposition and view the
shutdown as depriving them of speaking out.
-I am strictly against that approach. The judgment of the authorities
proves that they can speak on all television networks besides
"A1+" and the fact that they deprived the opposition of airtime is
really the case. "A1+" was on air for everyone-the opposition and the
authorities. Our objective was to let the people know about everybody's
opinion, but it was up to the people to decide. I stress once more
that a mass media outlet can't be pro-government or oppositional. That
was their guiding principle in 2002 and that is why we are in this
situation today. When people were being killed in central Yerevan on
March 1 last year, Armenian television networks were showing American
murder films. This goes to show that our country doesn't have a leader
and requires structural reforms. These authorities can't control the
situation any longer and it is time for them to leave.