Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Yerevan Press Club Weekly Newsletter - 09/23/2004

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Yerevan Press Club Weekly Newsletter - 09/23/2004

    YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

    SEPTEMBER 17-23, 2004

    HIGHLIGHTS:

    YPC ANNUAL AWARD

    INTERNATIONAL STRUCTURES AND MEDIA

    WHAT DOES THE PLAINTIFF WANT?

    APPEAL OF "INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS" DECLINED

    MEDIA RESPONSE TO SUPERSYSTEM

    OVER THIRTY FREQUENCIES TO BE COMPETED FOR

    INTERNEWS ARMENIA AWARDED TV JOURNALISTS

    PTA YOUTH CHANNEL CHANGES ITS NAME


    YPC ANNUAL AWARD

    On September 22 at the Business Center of American University of Armenia the
    Annual Award ceremony of Yerevan Press Club was held. The award was
    established in 1998 to encourage the greatest accomplishments of journalists
    and media organizations of Armenia (see YPC web-site, www. ypc.am , "Awards"
    section). This year the ceremony was organized by Yerevan Press Club jointly
    with "Partnership for Open Society" initiative.

    The jury, who determined the awardees, included: Vardan Aloyan (Director of
    CS Publishing House, previously, the former Chief Editor of "Respublika
    Armenia" newspaper), Arshavir Gazazian (Correspondent of "Deutsche Welle"
    radio station in Armenia), Ruzan Khachatrian (Correspondent of Radio
    "Liberty" Armenian Service), Nune Sargsian (Executive Director of Internews
    Armenia), Vigen Sargsian (External Relations Officer of the World Bank
    Mission in Armenia).

    The YPC awardees for this year are:

    The web site of "A1+" TV company www.a1plus.am - for being up-to-date and
    becoming an established online medium;

    Hakob Berberian, photojournalist - for creative depiction of social
    problems;

    Armen Melikbekian, sports commenter of the Public Television of Armenia -
    for competent and impartial commenting on the Spain and Europe Football
    Championships;

    "Photolure" news agency - for creative progress in 2003-2004;

    Atom Margarian, observer of Radio "Liberty" Armenian Service - for the best
    coverage of economic issues;

    Hranush Hakobian, chairwoman of the Standing Commission of the RA National
    Assembly on Science, Education, Culture and Youth Issues - for being open
    and transparent in work and for effective cooperation with journalists.

    Traditionally special prizes were conferred on awardees by missions of
    international organizations and public sector.

    The Media Diversity Institute Coordinator in Armenia Artur Papian awarded
    Hakob Berberian.

    The Head of World Bank Mission in Armenia Roger Robinson granted a prize to
    Atom Margarian.

    The Chairwoman of the Journalists Union of Armenia Astghik Gevorgian
    conferred a special award to Armen Melikbekian.

    Hranush Hakobian, the web site of "A1+" TV company and "Photolure" news
    agency were awarded prizes by "Partnership for Open Society" initiative.

    INTERNATIONAL STRUCTURES AND MEDIA

    On September 19-21 in Tsaghkadzor seminar "International Structures and
    Media: Relations and Ethics" was held, organized by Yerevan Press Club with
    the assistance of Friedrich Ebert Foundation. The seminar brought together
    representatives of media and international organizations. The presentations
    and discussions were devoted to the Armenian media coverage of international
    structures, in particular, the Council of Europe, UN, the Open Society
    Institute, USAID, the role of these organizations as an information source
    on developments of interest to Armenia. The event was a part of a joint
    project of YPC and Friedrich Ebert Foundation, aimed at the development of
    media self-refutation mechanisms and principles of journalistic ethics in
    Armenia. The theme of the last seminar was prompted by the active interest
    of media during the recent months to international organizations and the
    urgency of the problem of maintaining professional norms while covering
    their activities.

    WHAT DOES THE PLAINTIFF WANT?

    On September 20 the RA Court of Appeals dismissed the suit of the resident
    of Khachpar village of Ararat region Marineh Gabrielian versus the Chief
    Editor of "Ararat" regional newspaper Karineh Ashughian because of the
    absence of the plaintiff's representative from the hearings. Marineh
    Gabrielian had challenged with the Court of Appeals the ruling of the
    primary jurisdiction court of Ararat region, Masis city, of December 23,
    2003, according to which the suit on compensating the material damage was
    left unconsidered for the same reason - the absence of the plaintiff's
    representative at the court session (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, December
    19-25, 2003). Marineh Gabrielian had demanded to compensate her expenses of
    125,000 drams (about $ 220), incurred, as she alleged, during the previous
    litigations between the parties in 2001-2002 (see details in YPC Weekly
    Newsletter, November 7-13, 2003).

    While commenting on this lengthy litigation, Yerevan Press Club noted that
    having taken the plaintiff's side and obliging the Chief Editor (in July
    2002) to publish a refutation for the communication confirmed by 115 people,
    the court actually created a dangerous precedent. The plaintiff, inspired by
    her success, went further and is now demanding to be compensated the
    material damage, at the same time, strange as it may seem, not going into
    the trouble of either being present herself or sending a representative to
    the court session.

    APPEAL OF "INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS" DECLINED

    On September 16 the RA Court of Appeals refused the suit of "Investigative
    Journalists" NGO versus the Yerevan municipality. As it has been reported,
    in early July the organization challenged the ruling of the court of
    primary jurisdiction of Center and Nork-Marash communities of Yerevan of
    June 21 that refused securing the demand of the plaintiff to the
    administration of the capital to provide it with documents necessary for
    journalistic investigation (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, July 2-8, 2004). The
    documents in question were the resolutions of the municipality of 1997-2003
    on the constructions in the public green zone around the National Opera and
    Ballet Theater. The ruling of the court of primary jurisdiction had the
    motivation that the organization had not attempted to get the information
    needed from other state agencies before addressing the municipality, and its
    inquiry was not specific enough. On their behalf "Investigative Journalists"
    sent a new inquiry to the municipality, listing all the enterprises of
    interest that are operating today on the territory around the Opera and
    Ballet Theater.

    At the hearings of the Court of Appeals, the municipality representative
    read out the response to this query that said in particular: "The document
    package on the enterprises that use the land is addended by State Register
    certificates. The State Register certificates the names of the founders of
    enterprises are not specified, therefore, the information on land allocation
    to the enterprises specified by you cannot be provided." Although inquiry
    was centered not around the names of the enterprise owners, but on the
    legitimacy of them being allocated the territories, and dismissing the
    argumentation of the plaintiff on access to information in accordance with
    the legislation in force in Armenia, the court of secondary jurisdiction
    refused the appeal of "Investigative Journalists". The organization
    announced that it intends to challenge the decision with the RA Court of
    Cassation.

    MEDIA RESPONSE TO SUPERSYSTEM

    During the opening of "CS Media City" holding on September 4, 2004 (see YPC
    Weekly Newsletter, September 3-9, 2004), the Armenian President Robert
    Kocharian by pushing a button launched a system capable of transmitting 50
    TV channels in gigaherz frequency spectrum. Over some time already this
    system (referred to as "supersystem") and its owner, the previously unknown
    "A UP" company, have been advertised on "Armenia" TV channel. The launch
    give a rise to a torrent of publications in Armenian press that, apparently,
    is going to be continued, and that questions the arguments usually quoted as
    motivation for depriving "A1+" TV company of air.

    On September 9 "Aravot" daily published an article by observer Anna
    Israelian "There Goes the Supersystem!", which quotes the Head of Licensing
    and Methodology Department of National Commission on Television and Radio
    Ishkhan Vardanian: "Presently NCTR has no vacant GHz frequency. We did not
    provide frequency in this spectrum to any company. "A UP" company, whose
    commercial can frequently be seen on air, is unknown to us, it has no
    license. (...) The Commission has already warned the appropriate bodies of
    the need to take steps to stop the illegal broadcasting." The question of
    why then in this spectrum AATV company is broadcasting nowadays was answered
    by Mr. Vardanian to the effect that AATV has had a ten-year license since
    1997, of which it was deprived during the re-licensing of 2001, since the
    license was granted not for broadcasting but for other services. "However,
    the investments are protected by the law and if due to a law amendment
    economic process is obstructed, the investor has a right to continue the
    activities for five years. In any case, today, these frequencies are subject
    to licensing by competition. I find it hard, however, to predict, when the
    competition will be held", Ishkhan Vardanian added. It should be noted that
    the list of TV and radio frequencies, received by Yerevan Press Club after
    an inquiry filed with NCTR, the 2501-2700 MHz spectrum in question is listed
    as subject to listening by competition.

    The Chairman of "Investigative Journalists" NGO Edik Baghdasarian
    highlighted some questionable points in the activities of "Armenia" TV
    channel and the newly-established "CS Media City" in his article "Having
    Seen a Button, Do Not Press It", published in "Aravot" daily on September
    16.

    The piece of Ara Meliksetian "Framing in Public" ("Golos Armenii" newspaper,
    September 18) says in particular: "Apparently, the unpleasant story of
    "Armenia" TV channel could have gone without a scandal, but for the
    particularly sensitive attention of the colleagues to the fate of another
    Armenian broadcaster, "A1+" TV company. Hardly any journalist would have
    questioned the legitimacy of the diligently advertised television novelty,
    presented by "Armenia", had there been no reasonable question: how come
    there is a frequency for a new re-broadcasting project, while none can be
    found for "A1+" TV company? The search for an answer to this very natural
    question resulted in a quite incidental disclosure of one of the biggest
    frauds of our reality. And it is big only because the head of the state was
    unwillingly involved in it." "Apparently, Robert Kocharian himself did not
    have suspicions on the legitimacy of the occurrence", Ara Meliksetian
    thinks. "He was, roughly speaking, simply framed. He was, as the saying
    goes, played a dirty trick on." In the opinion of the author of the article,
    the President was framed by "various state agencies" and the "many-faced
    people surrounding him", "but the worst thing that the response of the head
    of the state is still unknown to the public at large".

    Armen Hakobian in article "The Secret Supersystem of 'Armenia'" ("Hayots
    Ashkhar" daily of September 10) named the situation in place "a scandal in
    the noble family". "It has become known from trustworthy sources that the
    head of 'Armenia' Bagrat Sargsian was yesterday summoned to the
    administration of the President, where he was demanded explanations on what
    happened", the author writes. Besides, he notes that the broadcasting
    without a license, along with unconscientious advertising are criminal
    offences by Armenian legislation.

    Yet, the advertising of the supersystem on "Armenia" TV has already been
    stopped, but the situation still needs a consistent explanation by all the
    persons and state institutions involved.

    OVER THIRTY FREQUENCIES TO BE COMPETED FOR

    On September 17, the National Commission on Television and Radio announced
    broadcast licensing competitions on 30th UHF of Artashat (Ararat region) and
    on two FMs in Yerevan - 100.6 and 101.1 MHz. Besides, the competitions were
    announced for two FM-packages in a number of Armenian cities. The first
    package includes eight frequencies: 106.1 of Noyemberian, 105.5 of Berd,
    105.9 of Amasia, 104.2 of Stepanavan, 104.2 of Sisian, 105.1 of Goris, 104.7
    of Kapan, 102.9 of Meghri. The second package includes twenty frequencies:
    107.1 of Sevan, 106.6 of Gyumri, 106.3 of Vanadzor, 106.7 of Sisian, 105.4
    of Meghri, 107.2 of Kapan, 105.6 of Goris, 102.8 of Jermuk, 104.8 of
    Yeghegnadzor, 102.2 of Stepanavan, 100.4 of Ashtarak, 105.3 of Spitak, 105.5
    of Hrazdan, 103.7 of Gavar, 100.2 of Dilijan, 101.6 of Ijevan, 103.6 of
    Noyemberian, 100.5 of Artashat, 100.4 of Armavir, 101.3 of Echmiadzin.

    The deadline for bids in the competition is on December 15, 2004. The
    National Commission will consider the bids on December 28.

    None of the frequencies mentioned is currently broadcast on. As it has been
    reported, earlier, on September 16, the National Commission announced
    competitions for five vacant frequencies, too (see YPC Weekly Newsletter,
    September 10-16, 2004).

    INTERNEWS ARMENIA AWARDED TV JOURNALISTS

    On September 18 the results of competition of TV newscast among private TV
    companies, held by Internews Armenia with financial assistance of USAID,
    were announced. The prize in the nomination "News program of Yerevan-Based
    TV company" was awarded to "Horizon" newscast of "Shant" (Yerevan), and
    journalist of the same channel Artak Hovhannissian became an awardee in
    nomination "Report on specific events: at the right time and place". The
    winner in the nomination of "News program of regional TV company" is
    "Fortuna" TV (Stepanavan). The award "Special report: special approach" was
    granted to Nerses Matinian ("Interkap" TV, Vanadzor). In two nominations
    "Mirror: thematic report on the role of media" and "Journalistic
    investigation: closed folder" no prizes were conferred. Also, two special
    prizes were awarded to "Yerkir-Media" TV for the best launch and innovative
    approach and Hakob Badalian ("AR" TV) for unique style. Incentive awards
    were granted: "Keen glance" - Hasmik Ohanian ("Kentron" TV), "Promising
    start" - Christina Mkrtchian ("Shant" TV, Gyumri) and Irina Hovhannissian
    ("Yerkir-Media").

    PTA YOUTH CHANNEL CHANGES ITS NAME

    Since September 20 the channel for youth of the Public Television of Armenia
    "First Channel-Yerevan", aired on 48th UHF of Yerevan, started to broadcast
    with a new logotype "Nor Alik". The programming policy of the channel has
    changed, too: from now on it will not be airing the programs of PTA "First
    Channel".


    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.
    375007, Yerevan, Armenia
    Tel.: (+ 374 1) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
    Fax: (+374 1) 53 56 61
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Web Site: www.ypc.am
Working...
X