“Ways of Enhancing Media Role in Armenia” – December 22-23, 2007, Jermuk (Armenia), seminar, organized by Yerevan Press Club with the support of Open Society Institute. Participants (24 in number) represented media and journalistic associations of Armenia. Main issues discussed: current projects aiming at strengthening free expression and improving professionalism; YPC initiatives on self-regulation institute formation in Armenia; role of self-regulation at election time; linkage between monitoring the election coverage in media and self-regulation projects; enhancing the role of media in Armenia in the context of international cooperation.
“Media Self-Regulation: First Steps and Objectives. Pre-Election Processes in Armenian Media” – November 9-11, 2007, Tsaghkadzor (Armenia), seminar, organized by Yerevan Press Club with the support of Open Society Institute. Participants (25 in number) represented media and journalistic associations of Armenia. Main issues discussed: media self-regulation process; the cases considered by the Media Ethics Observatory; foreign experience of complaint consideration by the self-regulation structures; the situation in Armenian media ahead of presidential elections and trends observed; the preliminary results of monitoring of 8 Armenian broadcasters, administered by YPC before the election campaign.
“Political Processes in South Caucasus and Armenian-Georgian Relations: Reflection in Media” – October 31 – November 3, 2007, Aghveran (Armenia), Seminar, organized by Yerevan Press Club and Friedrich Ebert Foundation. Participants (21 in number) represented media, NGOs of Armenia and Georgia. Main issues discussed: mutual influence of economic development projects in the region and geopolitical situation in South Caucasus; energy summit in Vilnius, Tehran summit of Caspian countries and their reflection in media of Armenia and Georgia; the role of inner political factors in forming Armenian-Georgian relations; reflection in media of neighbor countries of the upcoming presidential elections in Armenia and the inner political tension in Georgia; the coverage of relations between Armenia and Georgia and with the neighbor countries (Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran, Russia) in the press of the two counties; public opinion and media regarding the traditional and modernized nationalist concepts; the media reflection of history and culture as uniting and dividing factors in South Caucasus.
“Reflection of the Relations of Armenia with Its Neighbor Countries in Armenian Media” – September 28-30, 2007, Odzun (Lori region), Seminar, organized by Yerevan Press Club with the support of Friedrich Ebert Foundation. Participants (21 in number) represented Armenian media. Main issued discussed: parliamentary elections in Turkey and their influence on the situation in the region; prospects of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and the resolution of Mountainous Karabagh problem; possible scenarios of regional development and the place of Armenia in them.
“Political Developments in the South Caucasus and Armenian-Georgian Relations: Reflection in Media” – July 20-23, 2007, Gudauri (Georgia), Seminar, organized by Yerevan Press Club and Friedrich Ebert Foundation. Participants (20 in number) represented media, NGOs of Armenia and Georgia. Main issued discussed: core issues of the region-2007; the potential and new prospects of cooperation of journalists in South Caucasus; the coverage of Armenian-Georgian relations in pre-election platforms and public activities of political parties; the role of media in the European integration context for South Caucasus; the GUAM summit in Baku and its coverage in the media of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia; new schemes for cooperation in the region (Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey, Armenia-Iran and others), their impact on the relations between the countries of South Caucasus and their reflection in media and public opinion; coverage of problems of national minorities in the regions of interethnic tension by media of Armenia and Georgia.
“Media and Elections: Resource for Free Expression of Citizens Will”– July 9-10 2007, Yerevan, Seminar, organized by Yerevan Press Club with the support of Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation-Armenia and the OSI East-East Program. The participants (40 in number) represented media and journalistic associations of Armenia, Ukraine. Main issues discussed: media self-regulation and elections; the role and place of media in political processes in Ukraine; the legislative framework of media work at election times; the coverage of electoral process by Armenian media.
“Karabagh Problem in the Pre-Election Rhetoric of Armenian Politicians” – June 8-10, 2007, Aghveran (Kotayk region), Seminar, organized by Yerevan Press Club with the support of Friedrich Ebert Foundation. The participants (22 in number) represented media, NGOs, political parties of Armenia. Main issues discussed: Karabagh problem in the context of the modern realities of the South Caucasus; the regional problems in the Armenian political debate; the role of media and journalistic associations in Karabagh conflict; new initiatives within Armenian-Azerbaijani civil dialogue; reflection of urgent current affairs issues in the pre-election platforms of parties, running in the Armenian parliamentary elections; the problem of Armenian-Azerbaijani and Armenian-Turkish relations during the pre-election promotion of 2007.
“Ethical Journalism as a Ground for Quality Media” – March 14-15, 2007, Yerevan, International Seminar, organized by Yerevan Press Club with the support of OSCE Office in Yerevan, the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media and the OSI East-East Program. Participants (50 in number) represented media and journalistic associations of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, media experts from Bulgaria and Romania. Main issues discussed: development of media accountability systems; the findings of YPC monitoring of seven Armenian TV channels; media ethics during election campaigns; media self-regulation in new democracies (through example of Bulgaria and Romania); the findings of the cross study on the coverage of regional problems by Armenian, Azerbaijani and Georgian media; ethics of reporting on conflicts and tensions (through example of Azerbaijan and Turkey).
“Online Literary Journal for Regional Peace” – February 18-22, 2007, Gudauri (Georgia), Working Meeting, organized by Yerevan and Baku Press Clubs. Participants (8 in number) – represented journalistic associations of Armenia and Azerbaijan. Main issues discussed: the idea and the prospects of development of the project on the launch of a online literary journal for regional peace; the mutual perceptions of Azerbaijani and Armenian societies on the background of regional processes; the role of the civil society in overcoming xenophobia; reflection of Karabagh conflict in media and literature of Azerbaijan; the past and present of the South Caucasus cultural space; political realities and their influence on the prospects of Azerbaijani-Armenian civil initiatives; influence of the press on Armenian-Azerbaijani relations; the place of the project in the context of other regional initiatives.
