REPORT OF YEREVAN PRESS CLUB
A1+
[08:39 pm] 20 April, 2007
On April 20 Yerevan Press Club released the intermediate report on
the monitoring of the coverage of the May 12 election, which includes
the first week of the election campaign, from April 8 to 15. 13 TV
channels, one radio channel and four newspapers were monitored.
The chair of Yerevan Press Club Boris Navasardyan said unlike the
year 2006 when only the government and pro-government forces figured
on TV and the opposition did not, as the election is drawing nearer,
the Armenian TV channels start to cover the activity of the opposition
forces. However, it is not thanks to upgrading their professional
maturity but because the international organizations are increasingly
interested in the Armenian parliamentary election.
Boris Navasardyan thinks after the election we will return to the year
2006 when the opposition will not appear on TV, and such forces as the
Nor Zhamanakner Party, the Republic Party and the Heritage Party will
be completely ignored. The reason, according to Boris Navasardyan,
is the painful reality that limitation of the freedom of speech and
the media has become deeper.
He added in a joke that if the interest of the international
organization lasted longer, things which are typical of civilized
countries might become rooted in Armenia, such as a balanced coverage
of all the parties, the administrative resource would not be used in
the election, etc.
According to Yerevan Press Club, on April 8 to 15 on 10 Armenian
channels (4 national channels, 6 Yerevan channels and 3 regional
channels of Shirak) the Republican Party appeared most frequently, 588
times for 62 668 seconds, then the ARF Dashnaktsutyun 248 times for 40
778 seconds. The Prosperous Armenia was the third, 236 times for 27
294 seconds. The fourth was the Orinats Yerkir Party. The Prosperous
Armenia is the leader on Kentron Channel, the ARF Dashnaktsutyun is
the leader on Yerkir Media. The Republican Party is the leader on
the rest of the channels. Even on ALM channel the Republican Party
is the first with 12 018 seconds. Tigran Karapetyan's People's Party
is the second with 10 974 seconds. The reason, according to YMA,
is that Tigran Karapetyan, who is a parliamentary candidate, does
not have the right to host TV shows during the campaign.
Nevertheless, ALM channel provides 85 percent of coverage of the
political activity of Tigran Karapetyan.
Besides, Yerevan Press Club reported some problems. In a report
on ALM the reporter gave an obviously negative evaluation of the
activity of the People's Party of Armenia. The texts of hosts contain
ironic elements, which is not illegal but influences the voters, in
TV commercials images of political figures flash, which also affects
the voters. Yerkir Media often broadcasts a song devoted to the ARF
Dashnaktsutyun, which is perceived as campaign, etc.
A1+
[08:39 pm] 20 April, 2007
On April 20 Yerevan Press Club released the intermediate report on
the monitoring of the coverage of the May 12 election, which includes
the first week of the election campaign, from April 8 to 15. 13 TV
channels, one radio channel and four newspapers were monitored.
The chair of Yerevan Press Club Boris Navasardyan said unlike the
year 2006 when only the government and pro-government forces figured
on TV and the opposition did not, as the election is drawing nearer,
the Armenian TV channels start to cover the activity of the opposition
forces. However, it is not thanks to upgrading their professional
maturity but because the international organizations are increasingly
interested in the Armenian parliamentary election.
Boris Navasardyan thinks after the election we will return to the year
2006 when the opposition will not appear on TV, and such forces as the
Nor Zhamanakner Party, the Republic Party and the Heritage Party will
be completely ignored. The reason, according to Boris Navasardyan,
is the painful reality that limitation of the freedom of speech and
the media has become deeper.
He added in a joke that if the interest of the international
organization lasted longer, things which are typical of civilized
countries might become rooted in Armenia, such as a balanced coverage
of all the parties, the administrative resource would not be used in
the election, etc.
According to Yerevan Press Club, on April 8 to 15 on 10 Armenian
channels (4 national channels, 6 Yerevan channels and 3 regional
channels of Shirak) the Republican Party appeared most frequently, 588
times for 62 668 seconds, then the ARF Dashnaktsutyun 248 times for 40
778 seconds. The Prosperous Armenia was the third, 236 times for 27
294 seconds. The fourth was the Orinats Yerkir Party. The Prosperous
Armenia is the leader on Kentron Channel, the ARF Dashnaktsutyun is
the leader on Yerkir Media. The Republican Party is the leader on
the rest of the channels. Even on ALM channel the Republican Party
is the first with 12 018 seconds. Tigran Karapetyan's People's Party
is the second with 10 974 seconds. The reason, according to YMA,
is that Tigran Karapetyan, who is a parliamentary candidate, does
not have the right to host TV shows during the campaign.
Nevertheless, ALM channel provides 85 percent of coverage of the
political activity of Tigran Karapetyan.
Besides, Yerevan Press Club reported some problems. In a report
on ALM the reporter gave an obviously negative evaluation of the
activity of the People's Party of Armenia. The texts of hosts contain
ironic elements, which is not illegal but influences the voters, in
TV commercials images of political figures flash, which also affects
the voters. Yerkir Media often broadcasts a song devoted to the ARF
Dashnaktsutyun, which is perceived as campaign, etc.
