On the web-site of Washington-based International Republican Institute www.iri.org the findings of Armenia National Voter Study are placed. The study was administered by Armenian Sociological Association on behalf of IRI. It was designed, coordinated and analyzed by Baltic Surveys/The Gallup Organization. Financial assistance to the research was provided by the USAID.
The survey was conducted on November 10-19, 2006 sampling 1,200 Armenian residents aged 18 years and over. Similar surveys, basing on the same methodology, were administered also in August and May, 2006.
The scope of the research covered various aspects of external and domestic life of the country, including those, related to media. Thus, the findings for three months show that the confidence in Armenian media has somewhat reduced: in November the media were trusted by 58% of respondents, were not trusted by 41% (2% of respondents found it difficult to answer), in August this figure made 63% and 34%, respectively (3% of respondents found it difficult to answer), in May – 67% and 31% (2% of respondents found it difficult to answer).
The main source of political information in Armenia, in the opinion of respondents, is the television. TV news, programs were relied on for information by 97% respondents in November and May, by 99% – in August. The second major group of political information sources listed “relatives, friends“, “articles in newspapers“ and “radio news, programs“, scoring 31 to 39% during the three months of the study. From 1 to 13% of respondents in November, August, May named the sources to be “colleagues at work”, “meetings with politicians”, “Internet”, “billboards, posters in streets”, “articles in magazines”, “leaflets and other free information by post”.
44% respondents in November, 52% in August and 48% in May did not regularly read any of the newspapers published in Armenia. Among the regularly read publications of the same period the following were mentioned: TV program schedule weekly “Eter” (18-21%), “Iravunk” newspaper (13-19%), dailies “Aravot” (10-18%) and “Azg” (9-13%), TV schedule weekly “TV-mol” (10-11%), dailies “Hayastani Hanrapetutiun” (6-11%), “Haikakan Zhamanak” (8-10%) and “Hayots Ashkhar” (4-6%), “Yerkir” weekly (4-5%), “Chorrord Ishkhanutiun” newspaper (3-4%), classified ad weekly “Gind” (3-4%), Russian language “Golos Armenii” (2-4%), TV schedule weekly “Efir” (2-3%), “Novoe Vremya” (1-3%), “Delovoy Express” (1-2%), “Respublika Armenia” (1%). Other newspapers are regularly read by 2-7% of respondents.
Most of the respondents in November, August, May regularly viewed the programs of the First Channel of the Public Television of Armenia (80-82%). This was followed by the Second Armenian TV Channel (49-63%), “Armenia” (52-56%), “ALM” (34-40%), “Shant” (31-48%), as well as Russian TV channels “ORT” (51-59%) and “RTR-Planeta” (35- 44%). Smaller popularity for the same period was enjoyed by “Nor Alik” channel of the Public Television of Armenia (7-13%), “Dar 21” (12-15%), “Kentron” (10-17%), “Yerkir-Media” (10-15%), “ARMENAKOB” (9-14%), “TV 5” (6-13%), “ArmNews”/”EuroNews” (6-12%), “Yerevan” (5-11%), “Hay TV” (4-10%), “Shoghakat” (3-4%) and Russian NTV TV channel (5-10%). Other TV channels were regularly watched by 14-26%, and none were watched by 1-2% respondents.
Over half of the respondents in November, August and May (51-56%) did not regularly listen to any radio station. The Armenian Service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was regularly listened during the three months by 13-18% respondents, Public Radio of Armenia – by 12-16%, “Russkoe Radio” – by 8-10%, ”Van” – by 7-9%, “Avrora” – by 3-7%, “Ardzagank” – 4-7%, ”Stereo Studio” – 6-12%, ”Voice of America” – 5-11%, “Autoradio” – 1-5%, Radio “HAY” – 4-6%, Hai FM 105.5 – 3-6%, FM 102.4 – by 3-4%, “Dynamite” FM – by 2-3%, Hit FM – by 2-3%. Programs of other radio channels had 2-5% of regular listeners.
The research revealed that 45% of the Armenian residents surveyed in November, and 53% – in August and May do not trust news and political information of any newspaper. During the same period the most trusted news and political information belonged to the following newspapers: “Iravunk” (8-9%), “Eter” (5-7%), “Aravot” (3-7%), “Azg” (4-5%). The news of “Hayastani Hanrapetutiun”, “TV-Mol” and “Haikakan Zhamanak” in November, August and May were trusted by 2-4%, and those of “Yerkir”, “Hayots Ashkhar” and “Golos Armenii” – by 1-2% of respondents. The news and the political information of other newspapers were trusted by 3 to 6%, whereas 7% of respondents found the question difficult to answer.
The respondents were also asked to assess which of the information sources influence them during the pre-election campaigns. Among the 12 listed various sources were those published in media too.
Thus, the great influence of TV ads was noted by 11-13%, some influence – by 25-33%, not much influence – by 23-28% respondents in November, August and May, 25-38% of respondents stated that the TV advertising has no influence at all, 2-3% found the question difficult to answer.
The great influence of the articles in newspapers about the candidates was noted by 6-12% respondents, some influence – by 21-29%, not much influence – by 25-28%, no influence at all – by 24-42%, with 3 to 7% respondents finding the question difficult to answer. 3 to 6% respondents of the three months noted that paid ads in the media for the candidate had great influence on them, 16-27% said here was some influence, 25-30% – not much influence, and no influence at all was noted by 35-48%, 4-5% found the question difficult to answer.
Great influence of radio ads was noted by 3-4% respondents in November, August and May, some influence – by 17-23%, not much influence – by 22-29%, no influence at all – by 36-49%, 4-9% found the question difficult to answer.
TV ads were the main recall communication means used during the parliamentary elections in 2003 for 93% respondents in November, 85% – in August and 78% – in May. Articles in newspapers about the candidates were mentioned by 52-63% of the respondents for the period, paid ads in the media for the candidate or party – by 45-55%, radio ads – by 34-41%.
