In the previous issue (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, June 30 – July 6, 2001) some of the preliminary results of the sociological survey conducted by Yerevan Press Club were published. Considering the stir created as well as the inadequacy of some of the responses of Armenian media, we find it necessary to give additional explanations, which were to be included into the final report (as it has already been announced, the report will be published in a few months).
1. As it was mentioned before, the survey is mainly concerned with the public opinion poll on the issue of Karabagh conflict. As the survey results will be compared with the data revealed by monitoring the coverage of this problem by a number of Armenian media, a part of the questionnaire was to determine the audience of newspapers and TV channels. Simultaneously, using the same methodology, a similar research is administered in Azerbaijan and Mountainous Karabagh.
Thus, the conducted survey is not a specialized rating research of Armenian media market, as it was erroneously understood by some of the readers of YPC Newsletter.
2. Proceeding from the specifics of the survey, appropriate methodology has been selected. In particular, the questionnaires were filled in anonymously. The sampling of respondents, as it had been agreed on by partners from Azerbaijan and Mountainous Karabagh, was random. However, all the regions of Armenia were proportionately included and the sample polled represented the socio-demographic profile of the country. The answers of the respondents on their TV preferences are based on the tests of TV channel identification and cannot be understood as rating of real TV viewing. The research group, naturally, held greater interest to the media that are also subject to monitoring (Public Television of Armenia, “Prometheus” TV company and “Haikakan Zhamanak”, ”Hayots Ashkhar”, “Aravot”, “Azg”, “Golos Armenii” newspapers), a fact, which was reflected in the questionnaire. However, the data obtained show that this circumstance did not essentially affect the research results on media in general.
3. Considering the fact that different media are available on the territory of Armenia in different degree, the data on Yerevan media audience are of certain interest, since the availability of broadcast and print media is the highest in Yerevan. The previous issue of YPC Newsletter represented the data on newspapers for Yerevan. To make the information provided more complete, herein the corresponding data for TV channels are also presented. 57.5% of Yerevan respondents mentioned that they watched the Public Television of Armenia, 54.3% – "Prometheus", 47.3% – ORT, 41.8% – RTR, 34.0% – NTV, 25.0% – "Cinemax", 24.5% – "Armenia", 12.5% – "A1+”. Thus, the latter six of the eight TV channels listed, as well as “Dar 21”/MuzTV, “AR” and “Noyan Tapan”/TV6 have higher figures for Yerevan, than for the whole country.
4. In spite of the fact that, as it was mentioned above, the survey in question is by no means a rating research of media, the results obtained may be interesting for our colleagues, and Yerevan Press Club guarantees their validity. Since the nature of the Newsletter does not make it possible to cover the survey results with every detail of concern to this or that media, YPC is willing to provide the TV companies and newspapers with any additional information that refers to them specifically.
