On November 12, another program of “Press Club” cycle, dealing with journalistic ethics, went on “Yerkir Media” TV channel. The TV shows’ series are produced by Yerevan Press Club in the frames of the “Promoting Freedom, Professionalism and Pluralism of the Media in the South Caucasus and Moldova” programme, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe.
The talk show participants debated about the publication of inaccurate information, specifically, the false reports about the intended deterioration of Fernando Botero’s “Roman Soldier” statue. Several Armenian media disseminated this information, without any prior verification of its truthfulness, though it was not so hard to do this: the statue is situated in a public square in downtown Yerevan. As discussants of the program were invited media expert Samvel Martirosian, author of a piece on this pressing issue, “When Armenia’s Press Becomes Paralyzed”, and Hakob Avetikian, Chief Editor of “Azg” daily, which had published the inaccurate information in the piece “New Vandalism against Statues”. Since “Azg” Chief Editor did not come to the talk show at the very last moment, he was replaced by Tatevik Ayvazian, Assistant to Director of “Yerkir Media” TV company. The experts of the program were Astghik Gevorgian, Chairwoman of Journalists Union of Armenia, Shushan Doydoyan, President of Freedom of Information Center, media expert Mesrop Harutiunian and lawyer Ara Ghazarian. YPC President Boris Navasardian hosted the talk show.
The next “Press Club” will be aired on “Yerkir Media” on Monday, November 19 at 18.00 (rerun – on Saturday, November 24 at 12.50).
Watch “Press Club” of November 12, 2012 here
