On June 21-25 at Arthur’s Aghveran Resort, Yerevan Press Club held seminars dealing with journalism ethics and self-regulation of alternative and traditional media. The events were organized with the assistance of Deutsche Welle Academy and were attended by experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Great Britain, representatives of media and journalistic organizations of Armenia, including the ones, which have supported the YPC initiative on establishing a media self-regulation system in Armenia. Bettina Ruigies, Project Manager for the South Caucasus Deutsche Welle Academy, and YPC President Boris Navasardian made opening remarks at the seminars.
Isabella Kurkowski, Advisor of the Press Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina, told about the introduction and development of the self-regulation mechanisms in the Balkans, highlighting the experience of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as about the international practice of raising public awareness and promoting the media self-regulation tools. Manfred Protze, Member of the German Press Council, presented the Press Council’s practice of dealing with complaints regarding online media. His second report concerned the bounds of ethical reporting on matters of public significance and interest. Catherine Speller, Head of External Affairs at the British Press Complaints Commission, made a Skype presentation about the media self-regulation and co-regulation models in the light of the recent developments in the PCC, an independent body examining complaints against newspapers and magazines of Great Britain.
Some acute issues that concern the Armenian media community were widely discussed at the seminars. Founding partners of LegalLab law boutique Stepan Khzrtian and Narek Ashughatoyan touched upon the problems related to copyright protection in online media and possible solutions. Arman Babajanian, Chief Editor of “Zhamanak” daily, and Taguhi Tovmasian, Chief Editor of “Zhoghovurd” daily, presented their views on copyright issues in traditional media. Laura Baghdasarian, Director of “Region” Research Center, introduced the peculiarities of coverage on elections by online media and in social network, particularly in light of the recent 2012-2013 national electoral cycle. Artur Sakunts, Head of the Vanadzor Branch of Helsinki Citizens Assembly, considered the ethics of reporting on criminal litigations and investigation.
