“Society and the Media of the South Caucasus Countries: Search for Mutually Acceptable Solutions to Regional Problems” – November 3-5, 2004, Tbilisi, Georgia, Conference, organized by Yerevan Press Club, “Black Sea Press” Association (Georgia) and “Yeni Nesil” Journalists Union of Azerbaijan with the support of Eurasia Foundation South Caucasus Cooperation Program. Participants (30 in number) represented media and non-governmental organizations of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Main issues discussed: the cooperation of NGOs and media in South Caucasus; the coverage of regional problems and relations by media; the prospects of cooperation between NGOs and media of South Caucasus in their assistance to the resolution of regional problems.
“Armenia-Azerbaijan-Turkey: Looking for Reconciliation” – November 5-8, 2004, Gudauri, Georgia, Round Table, organized by Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Yerevan Press Club and “Yeni Nesil” Journalists Union of Azerbaijan. Participants (20 in number) comprised journalists, political scientists of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey. Main issues discussed: presentation of a trilateral dialogue and its development in 2001-2004; NATO summit in June 2004 and its impact on the region; political processes in Georgia and their influence on the region in general; regional economic projects, their contribution or obstruction of the conflict resolution in South Caucasus; the Armenian-Turkish border as an important factor for reconciliation process; Karabagh conflict in the context of EU and NATO activation in South Caucasus; the role of media, civil society and independent experts in the search of solutions for regional problems.
“International Structures and Media: Relations and Ethics” – September 19-21, 2004, Tsaghkadzor, Armenia, Seminar, organized by Yerevan Press Club and Friedrich Ebert Foundation. The participants (40 in number) included representatives of international organizations and media. Main issues discussed: coverage of Council of Europe activity in Armenian media; representations of international organizations as a source of information – expectations and reality; UN Office in Armenia and the media; media coverage of Open Society Institute activity; international structures as a source of information about world events impacting interests of Armenia.
“Public Information in a Democratic Society” – September 9-12, 2004, Tsaghkadzor, Armenia, Training Course for public information officers, organized by Yerevan Press Club and European Journalism Centre, Maastricht, with the assistance of the Council of Europe. The participants (22 in number) represented media, the staff of press services of state structures and private enterprises of Armenia, experts from the Netherlands. Main issues discussed: the main components of public relations; the status and role of media in Armenia; how to help journalists and the organizations themselves; how to get the information across; writing effective press releases and their evaluations; preparation for press conferences and their conductance; preparation for individual interviews; direct promotion of the organization and development of a promotion plan; the Western and Armenian experience of public information.
“Development of Political Situation in Armenia and Media Coverage” – June 29, 2004, Yerevan, Armenia, Seminar, organized by Yerevan Press Club and Friedrich Naumann Foundation. The participants (35 in number) included representatives of media, NGOs of Armenia, international organizations. Main issues discussed: political situation of 2004 in the mirror of Armenian media; violation of journalists’ and media rights as the consistent part of inner political tension.
“Freedom of Expression and the Right to Respect for Private Life” – June 23-24, 2004, Tsaghkadzor, Armenia, Seminar, organized by Yerevan Press Club, the Media Division of the Directorate of Human Rights of the Council of Europe and “Femida” NGO. The participants (35 in number) included representatives of media, NGOs, state structures of Armenia, international organizations. Main issues discussed: Council of Europe standards regarding freedom of information and the right to respect for private life; privacy protection in Armenian legislation; Armenian court precedents related to interference with privacy; boundaries for freedom of expression in the context of privacy protection; legal and ethical norms of privacy protection; media self-regulation experience in Council of Europe member countries.
“Ethics of the Interethnic Coverage” – April 16-18, 2004, Tsaghkadzor, Armenia, Seminar, organized by Yerevan Press Club and Friedrich Ebert Foundation. The participants (35 in number) included representatives of media, NGOs, state structures of Armenia. Main issues discussed: protection of journalists in conflict situations based on Council of Europe documents; current stage of regional and interethnic relations and press objectives; media monitoring results of covering Armenia-Azerbaijan-Turkey relations; the principle of “make no harm” in covering ethnic problems; comparative analysis of compliance with professional ethics norms by Armenian, Azerbaijani and Georgian media; common stereotypes in publications devoted to ethnic problems.
“Reforms of Armenian Media Legislation and Their Compliance With European Standards” – March 20-21, 2004, Yerevan, Armenia, Round Table meeting, organized by Yerevan Press Club and “Article 19” Global Campaign for Free Expression. The participants (60 in number) included representatives of executive, legislative, judicial power, NGOs and media of Armenia, international organizations, foreign experts. Main issues discussed: Armenian media legislation and honoring of commitments to the Council of Europe; newly adopted RA Law “On Mass Communication”; Polish experience in public broadcasting; amendments to the RA Law “On Television and Radio” and international standards; criminal libel and insult and European standards; RA Law “On Freedom of Information” and amendments proposed. At the meeting the statement of “Article 19” was distributed. One more statement by Round Table meeting’s participants was adopted.
“Relations of the State Institutions and Media: the International Experience” – February 13-15, 2004, Tsaghkadzor, Armenia, Seminar, organized by Yerevan Press Club and Friedrich Naumann Foundation. The participants (30 in number) included representatives of media and press services of Armenia, experts from Germany and Bulgaria. Main issues discussed: the interaction of journalists and state structures of Germany; the information policy of the parliament majority and opposition with the example of Germany, Bulgaria and other countries of Europe; the relations “parliament-journalists” during pre-election campaigns; the role of journalistic associations in the solution of problems of the information sphere.
