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NO COMMENT: TV ANCHOR FIRED FOR FACEBOOK POST
Photolure
By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
The greater part of Armenia's journalist community condemns the recent
incident in which a well-known reporter has been fired after making
a post on social network.
Armen Dulyan, popular anchor of a prime-time newswire at Shant, one
of Armenia's leading TV companies, made a post on his Facebook wall
in reference with the fact that in Russia a newly-founded Public TV
was banned to use President Vladimir Putin's divorce as a subject of
jokes in comedy programs, and drew parallels with Armenia.
"It is amazing how much in common we have...
"The newly-founded Russian Public TV decided to make jokes related
to Vladimir Putin's divorce in yesterday's show, but the program was
immediately banned... how can one joke about the president?! It is
almost like a coup d'etat! How really similar Russian and Armenian
people in charge of TV content are by their level of primitivism!"
he wrote and was informed on Monday that he was no longer employed
at Shant TV.
Dulyan told News.am that the TV leadership thought his post hinted
at them.
"How could the management of one TV company believe that I, as its
employee, as someone who gets paid by them, could have said such an
insulting thing about them? My reference was that the authorities
control most TV companies, both here and in Russia," he said.
Shant TV made an announcement on Tuesday that Dulyan had been
dismissed, because further cooperation with him was unacceptable,
considering the disrespect he had displayed towards the company.
This is not the first case in Armenia when a reporter gets fired
because of making a social network post. Earlier, in April, Hayots
Ashkharh (Armenian World) daily reporter Kima Yeghiazaryan lost her
job for a Facebook post, too, as she claims.
Petros Ghazaryan, head of news programs at Kentron TV, also an active
Facebook user, told ArmeniaNow that firing a journalist for expressing
his viewpoint is the same as firing a doctor for treating a patient.
"Of course when you work somewhere you can't say things that might
be damaging for it, but I have read Dulyan's post and see absolutely
no such intent in it. Sharing his opinion is his job, I guess only
those who flatter are 'in fashion' now," he says.
Ashot Melikyan, chairing the Committee to Protect Freedom of
Expression, says an independent media should not have applied any
punitive measures against Dulyan.
"By this step Shant TV has proved that they too, just as the majority
of TV companies, are under control and has demonstrated intolerance
to freedom of speech and thought," says Melikyan.
http://armenianow.com/society/46839/facebook_shant_tv_armen_dulyan_ashot_mel
ikyan
Photolure
By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
The greater part of Armenia's journalist community condemns the recent
incident in which a well-known reporter has been fired after making
a post on social network.
Armen Dulyan, popular anchor of a prime-time newswire at Shant, one
of Armenia's leading TV companies, made a post on his Facebook wall
in reference with the fact that in Russia a newly-founded Public TV
was banned to use President Vladimir Putin's divorce as a subject of
jokes in comedy programs, and drew parallels with Armenia.
"It is amazing how much in common we have...
"The newly-founded Russian Public TV decided to make jokes related
to Vladimir Putin's divorce in yesterday's show, but the program was
immediately banned... how can one joke about the president?! It is
almost like a coup d'etat! How really similar Russian and Armenian
people in charge of TV content are by their level of primitivism!"
he wrote and was informed on Monday that he was no longer employed
at Shant TV.
Dulyan told News.am that the TV leadership thought his post hinted
at them.
"How could the management of one TV company believe that I, as its
employee, as someone who gets paid by them, could have said such an
insulting thing about them? My reference was that the authorities
control most TV companies, both here and in Russia," he said.
Shant TV made an announcement on Tuesday that Dulyan had been
dismissed, because further cooperation with him was unacceptable,
considering the disrespect he had displayed towards the company.
This is not the first case in Armenia when a reporter gets fired
because of making a social network post. Earlier, in April, Hayots
Ashkharh (Armenian World) daily reporter Kima Yeghiazaryan lost her
job for a Facebook post, too, as she claims.
Petros Ghazaryan, head of news programs at Kentron TV, also an active
Facebook user, told ArmeniaNow that firing a journalist for expressing
his viewpoint is the same as firing a doctor for treating a patient.
"Of course when you work somewhere you can't say things that might
be damaging for it, but I have read Dulyan's post and see absolutely
no such intent in it. Sharing his opinion is his job, I guess only
those who flatter are 'in fashion' now," he says.
Ashot Melikyan, chairing the Committee to Protect Freedom of
Expression, says an independent media should not have applied any
punitive measures against Dulyan.
"By this step Shant TV has proved that they too, just as the majority
of TV companies, are under control and has demonstrated intolerance
to freedom of speech and thought," says Melikyan.
http://armenianow.com/society/46839/facebook_shant_tv_armen_dulyan_ashot_mel
ikyan