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Yerevan Press Club Weekly Newsletter - 01/19/2012

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  • Yerevan Press Club Weekly Newsletter - 01/19/2012

    YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

    JANUARY 12-19, 2012

    HIGHLIGHTS:

    CHANGES IN THE COMPOSITION OF MEDIA ETHICS OBSERVATORY

    "ASPAREZ" FIXED VIOLATIONS ON THE NEW YEAR TV AIR OF PUBLIC BROADCASTER

    PLAINTIFF ABANDONS FINANCIAL CLAIMS VERSUS "HETQ" CORRESPONDENT

    ADVOCATE SUGGESTS THE NEWSPAPER PAY COMPENSATION BY INSTALLMENT

    "ARAVOT" FOUNDER DENIED TO PARTICIPATE AS A THIRD PARTY IN HEARINGS ON
    VILLAGE ELDER'S SUITS


    CHANGES IN THE COMPOSITION OF MEDIA ETHICS OBSERVATORY

    On December 24, 2011 at the meeting of the representatives of media and
    journalistic associations, supporting the YPC initiative on establishing a
    self-regulation system in Armenia, the new composition of the Media Ethics
    Observatory (MEO) was elected. The meeting was convened within the seminar
    "The Current State and Perspectives of Media Self-Regulation in Armenia",
    held on December 23-25, 2011 in Aghveran (see YPC Weekly Newsletter,
    December 16-22, 2011).

    At the meeting it was resolved to expand the composition of MEO up to 14
    members (earlier they made 7). At the same time, seven of the 14 members
    will attend a MEO session by a rotation principle (corresponding changes are
    made to the MEO Regulations). As members of Media Ethics Observatory were
    elected: Aram Abrahamian (Chief Editor of "Aravot" daily), Gegham
    Baghdasarian (Chief Editor of "Analyticon" journal), Levon Barseghian (Board
    Chairman of "Asparez" Journalists Club of Gyumri), Mesrop Harutyunian (media
    expert), Ara Ghazarian (lawyer), Gegham Manukian (Director of the News and
    Current Affairs Programs of "Yerkir Media" TV company), Ashot Melikian
    (Chairman of Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression), Emmanuil Mkrtchian
    (General Director of "ArmInfo" news agency), Mesrop Movsesian (Director of
    "A1+" TV company), Gnel Nalbandian (Chief Editor of "ArmNews" TV company),
    Boris Navasardian (President of Yerevan Press Club), Nouneh Sarkissian
    (Managing Director of Internews Media Support NGO), Olga Safarian (lawyer),
    Gegham Vardanian (producer of www.media.am).

    As it has been reported, Media Ethics Observatory was formed on March 10,
    2007 by heads of Armenian media, who supported the YPC initiative and signed
    the Code of Conduct of Media Representatives and its addendum, the
    Declaration on Election and Referendum Coverage Principles (see YPC Weekly
    Newsletter, March 9-15, 2007). The MEO mission consists in considering the
    complaints-appeals regarding the violation of the Code of Conduct and
    rendering judgments on them. Currently the Code of Conduct and the
    Declaration are signed by 45 entities, representing 48 media; the initiative
    is supported by 9 journalistic associations.

    Detailed information on the MEO is available at www.ypc.am in
    "Self-Regulation" section.

    "ASPAREZ" FIXED VIOLATIONS ON THE NEW YEAR TV AIR OF PUBLIC BROADCASTER

    On January 18, 2012 Levon Barseghian, the Board Chairman of "Asparez"
    Journalists Club of Gyumri, sent a complaint to Grigor Amalian, Chairman of
    the National Commission on Television and Radio (NCTR), notifying about the
    excess of commercial advertising on the New Year air of the First Channel of
    the Public Television of Armenia. The reason for addressing NCTR was the
    monitoring results of the PTA First Channel, administered by "Asparez" on
    December 30-31, 2011 and January 1-2, 2012. Listing the violations revealed
    and attaching the tables on the study's data, the Head of "Asparez"
    requested NCTR considering the presented materials and informing about the
    measures taken.

    As it has been reported, during the previous New Year holidays (December 31,
    2010 and January 1, 2011) "Asparez" had also monitored the air of PTA First
    Channel, had registered similar violations of the permissible legislative
    quota of advertising and had written to NCTR about this. In his reply,
    Grigor Amalian noted that he had addressed the Council of the Public
    Television and Radio company for explanations, and given their validity, he
    re-addressed the explanations to "Asparez" (see YPC Weekly Newsletter,
    February 18-24, 2011).

    PLAINTIFF ABANDONS FINANCIAL CLAIMS VERSUS "HETQ" CORRESPONDENT

    On January 13, 2012 Vanadzor court of general jurisdiction of Lori region
    continued hearing the suit of Vano Eghiazarian, Elder of Lernapat village,
    versus Adrineh Torosian, Vanadzor correspondent of "Hetq" online publication
    ("Hetq" is involved in the case as a third party). As it has been reported,
    the Village Elder contested the piece by Adrineh Torosian, "The Word "Graze"
    in Address of Village Elder Worth 1 Mln" (published in "Hetq" on August 23,
    2011), demanding to refute the information discrediting him, bring apologies
    and compensate the moral damage of 1 million AMD (about $ 2,600), caused by
    libel. The trial on the case started on November 14, 2011 (see details in
    YPC Weekly Newsletter, November 11-17, 2011).

    At the session of January 13 the plaintiff virtually abandoned his financial
    claims versus the respondent: hence, he demands only 1 Luma (the smallest
    Armenian currency) as compensation for moral damage, instead of 1 million
    AMD.

    The next court hearing will take place on February 14.

    ADVOCATE SUGGESTS THE NEWSPAPER PAY COMPENSATION BY INSTALLMENT

    On January 13, 2012 court of general jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash
    administrative districts of Yerevan started hearing the suit of advocate
    Artur Grigorian versus "Hraparak" daily founder, "Hraparak Oratert" LLC. As
    it has been reported, the reason for the suit became the readers' comments
    to "Hraparak" article, "Citizens, Are They Victims of Disloyal Advocates?",
    published on August 10, 2011 and stored on www.hraparak.am. In the readers'
    comments Artur Grigorian had counted six wordings that discredited his honor
    and dignity, and evaluated the moral damage for each of them by 3 million
    AMD. Thus, the overall amount of financial claims to the newspaper makes 18
    mln AMD (about $ 47,000). The suit was taken into consideration on October
    20, 2011; on November 8, 2011 an arrest was put on the "Hraparak" funds - to
    secure the suit (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, November 4-10, 2011).

    At the session of January 13 Artur Grigorian presented a supplement to the
    suit in which he suggested the plaintiff pay him the compensation by equal
    installments within several years in order not to undermine the financial
    situation of the plaintiff.

    The next court session will be on February 24.

    "ARAVOT" FOUNDER DENIED TO PARTICIPATE AS A THIRD PARTY IN HEARINGS ON
    VILLAGE ELDER'S SUITS

    On January 10, 2012 founder of "Aravot" daily, "Aravot Oratert" LLC, sent a
    letter to court of general jurisdiction of Lori region informing that it
    refuses to participate as a third party in the hearings on the suits of Vano
    Eghiazarian, Elder of Lernapat village. This mainly concerns the two suits
    on the protection of honor, dignity and business reputation submitted by the
    Elder versus his villagers Boris Ashrafian and Fahrad Voskanian in which the
    "Aravot" founder appears as a third party. On August 19, 2011 "Aravot"
    issued a piece "Who Slanders Whom?", which reported about the August 18
    protest action against the Elder, held by Lernapat villagers in Yerevan in
    front of the RA Government. The piece also cited the villagers' critical
    expressions about their Elder, including the ones of Boris Ashrafian and
    Fahrad Voskanian.

    Both suits were taken into consideration by court of general jurisdiction of
    Lori region, but assigned to different judges. Meanwhile, as the statement
    of "Aravot" stresses, the daily has only one evidence - the record of the
    interviews of the daily correspondent with the Village Elder, and with three
    of his villagers during the protest action in front of the RA Government.
    However, this circumstance was not taken into consideration by the court,
    which had assigned the suits to different judges. Besides, the founder of
    "Aravot" noted that as of today the Village Elder has not specified the
    claims of the lawsuits.


    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.
    0002, 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

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