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WHAT MARKS BOUNDARIES FOR PRESS FREEDOM? - DEBATE
Tert.am
03.05.11
The press in Armenia is on the borderline between semi-free and free,
an Armenian expert has said.
At a news conference devoted to the World Press Freedom Day, Ashot
Melikyan, President of the Freedom of Speech Protection Committee,
said the Armenian media has been demonstrating signs of regress in the
recent years. He expressed concerns of some politicians' intolerance
to media criticism.
"Criticism is the sacred duty of media. That's an internationally
accepted standard which requires a high professionalism and a great
sense of responsibility," he said.
Speaking further on the issue, Editor-in-Chief of Hetq Online (an NGO
of investigative journalists) Edik Baghdasaryan considered limitations
to press freedom a usual matter.
"I always say that no one sets the boundaries for freedom. It's up
to each journalist to determine his or her limits. A journalist's
unwillingness to prepare a material demonstrates that he/she is
getting used to the situation determined by his editors and chiefs."
He also expressed astonishment that journalists often tolerate the
boundaries set by others.
"You have to gain your boundaries yourselves," he said.
Upon Tert.am's request, Melikyan spoke of the causes of the current
regress. He particularly indicated such factors as the level of press
freedom, poor laws and the lack of contact between the information
domain and reporters.
From: A. Papazian
Tert.am
03.05.11
The press in Armenia is on the borderline between semi-free and free,
an Armenian expert has said.
At a news conference devoted to the World Press Freedom Day, Ashot
Melikyan, President of the Freedom of Speech Protection Committee,
said the Armenian media has been demonstrating signs of regress in the
recent years. He expressed concerns of some politicians' intolerance
to media criticism.
"Criticism is the sacred duty of media. That's an internationally
accepted standard which requires a high professionalism and a great
sense of responsibility," he said.
Speaking further on the issue, Editor-in-Chief of Hetq Online (an NGO
of investigative journalists) Edik Baghdasaryan considered limitations
to press freedom a usual matter.
"I always say that no one sets the boundaries for freedom. It's up
to each journalist to determine his or her limits. A journalist's
unwillingness to prepare a material demonstrates that he/she is
getting used to the situation determined by his editors and chiefs."
He also expressed astonishment that journalists often tolerate the
boundaries set by others.
"You have to gain your boundaries yourselves," he said.
Upon Tert.am's request, Melikyan spoke of the causes of the current
regress. He particularly indicated such factors as the level of press
freedom, poor laws and the lack of contact between the information
domain and reporters.
From: A. Papazian