On October 23-25 in Aghveran a seminar on “The Perspectives of Media Self-Regulation in Armenia” was held. The seminar was organized by Yerevan Press Club with the assistance of the Office of OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media.
The report of Hayk Demoyan, Director of the Genocide Museum/Institute, was upon the media coverage of Armenian-Turkish relations. Mesrop Harutiunian, Expert of the Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression, presented the legislative initiatives, prescribing liability for defamation and insult. YPC Expert Iren Aloyan talked about the European practice of media self-regulation systems. YPC President Boris Navasardian introduced a report on the activities of Media Ethics Observatory for 2008-2009. As it has been reported, Media Ethics Observatory (MEO) was formed on March 10, 2007 by the heads of Armenian media who supported the YPC self-regulation initiative (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, March 9-15, 2007). The mission of MEO consists in considering the complaints-appeals regarding the violation of the Code of Conduct of Media Representatives and rendering judgments on them. As of today, the Code of Conduct and its addendum, the Declaration on Election and Referendum Coverage Principles, are signed by 38 Armenian media, and 8 journalistic associations support the initiative. The participants of the seminar in Aghveran – the media and professional organizations joining the initiative – also discussed the suggestions on amending the Code of Conduct and the perspectives of the institutionalization of media self-regulation initiative in Armenia.
