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EDITORS CONCERNED OVER PRESS FREEDOMS
Tert.am
03.05.11
Editors of several Armenian media outlets held Tuesday a debate
devoted to the World Press Freedom Day.
Addressing the situation with press freedoms in Armenia,
editor-in-chief of Azg newspaper Hakob Avetikyan voiced his concerns
over the existing problems. He particularly stressed the importance
of solving the problems on advertisement and consumption markets.
"If you want really free press, you have to understand those freedoms,
but that should also be linked to the market demand. We don't actually
have a market at present. What we have does not meet civilized
standards," he said.
Blaming the media for the existing situation, Avetikyan said they
don't have an understanding of corporate interests.
"That's to say we cannot find a solution to a problem that concerns
us all. Only once did we join our efforts, and it was several years
ago when all the print media outlets declared a day-long strike and
managed at least to have one of their three demands met," he said.
The editor-in-chief of Aravot daily, Aram Abrahamyan, referred to
the recent lawsuits against the media.
"If an individual or an organization demands money from a paper,
declaring in the meantime that he will spend the sum for charity
purposes, the judge is fully entitled to reject such claim. The
compensation for a moral damage can be justified if the claimant
needs that money," he added.
Speaking of the recent legislative amendment to decriminalize
defamation and libel, he considered the move reasonable, though
added that the reform implementation process was a little bit hasty
in Armenia.
"Plaintiffs may claim 2 million drams for libel, 1 million - for
accusation and 3 million for the lawyer's cost. That's really a huge
sum," he added.
Avetikyan noted that the amendments could be justified if Armenia
had an independent judiciary system.
"Otherwise it won't work, as we may go bankrupt," he said.
Speaking of the obstacles to free press, an information and political
analyst of Yerkir Media TV channel, Gegham Manukyan outlined three
major problems: professionalism, courage and financial resources. He
said that TV channels face more constraints than newspapers.
From: A. Papazian
Tert.am
03.05.11
Editors of several Armenian media outlets held Tuesday a debate
devoted to the World Press Freedom Day.
Addressing the situation with press freedoms in Armenia,
editor-in-chief of Azg newspaper Hakob Avetikyan voiced his concerns
over the existing problems. He particularly stressed the importance
of solving the problems on advertisement and consumption markets.
"If you want really free press, you have to understand those freedoms,
but that should also be linked to the market demand. We don't actually
have a market at present. What we have does not meet civilized
standards," he said.
Blaming the media for the existing situation, Avetikyan said they
don't have an understanding of corporate interests.
"That's to say we cannot find a solution to a problem that concerns
us all. Only once did we join our efforts, and it was several years
ago when all the print media outlets declared a day-long strike and
managed at least to have one of their three demands met," he said.
The editor-in-chief of Aravot daily, Aram Abrahamyan, referred to
the recent lawsuits against the media.
"If an individual or an organization demands money from a paper,
declaring in the meantime that he will spend the sum for charity
purposes, the judge is fully entitled to reject such claim. The
compensation for a moral damage can be justified if the claimant
needs that money," he added.
Speaking of the recent legislative amendment to decriminalize
defamation and libel, he considered the move reasonable, though
added that the reform implementation process was a little bit hasty
in Armenia.
"Plaintiffs may claim 2 million drams for libel, 1 million - for
accusation and 3 million for the lawyer's cost. That's really a huge
sum," he added.
Avetikyan noted that the amendments could be justified if Armenia
had an independent judiciary system.
"Otherwise it won't work, as we may go bankrupt," he said.
Speaking of the obstacles to free press, an information and political
analyst of Yerkir Media TV channel, Gegham Manukyan outlined three
major problems: professionalism, courage and financial resources. He
said that TV channels face more constraints than newspapers.
From: A. Papazian