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.
