“Management of Independent Media. Economic Conditions of Media and How to Overcome State Monopoly” – November 6-9, 1998, Tsaghkadzor, Armenia, Regional Seminar, organized by the YPC under “Media in Transition” Project co-financed by the European Initiative for Democracy and the Protection of Human Rights. Participants (60 in number) represented the media of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, European international organizations. Main issues discussed: situation in the media of South Caucasus; the prospects for the development of media market and advertising market; the legal, political and economic conditions for the development of independent media in the region; management of independent media and the ways of overcoming of state monopoly.
“Media and NGOs: Development Perspectives” – October 4-6, 1998, Byurakan, Armenia, Seminar, organized by the YPC and supported by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation. Participants (40 in number) represented the media and NGOs of Armenia. Main issues discussed: media and NGOs – natural allies; NGOs through the eyes of journalists; the role of media in introducing the NGO leaders; possible ways for cooperation, joint activities when lobbying legislative and other initiatives. The main distinguishing feature of the Seminar: for the first time a “big contact” between media and NGOs was established, the idea of founding Coordination Council arose. Since November, 1998 YPC jointly with Journalists Union of Armenia and NGO Resource and Training Center of the Armenian Assembly of America conduct regular thematic round tables, where the “fourth estate” and the “third sector” discuss common concerns and search for ways for constructive cooperation.
“Access to Information and Censorship” – August 24-26, 1998, Yerevan, Armenia, Regional Seminar, organized by the YPC under “Media in Transition” Project co-financed by the European Initiative for Democracy and the Protection of Human Rights. Participants (more than 50 in number) represented the media, press services, NGOs of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Mountainous Karabagh, South Ossetia, the United Kingdom. Main issues discussed: media and censorship in South Caucasus; access to information and privileges for journalists; role of official press services; expertise of international organizations. Participants of the Seminar met RA President Robert Kocharian, other high-ranked officials of Armenia, leaders of political parties, intellectuals of Armenia. The main distinguishing feature of the Seminar: for the first time the media representatives from Azerbaijan arrived in Yerevan at the invitation of a local organization (YPC) and not through international mediation.
“Media Legislation: Legal Acts and Their Implementation” – July 31 – August 4, 1998, Batumi, Georgia, Regional Seminar, organized by the YPC under “Media in Transition” Project co-financed by the European Initiative for Democracy and the Protection of Human Rights. Participants (more than 50 in number) represented the media and professional associations from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, diplomatic missions, reputed international organizations of Europe and the USA. Main issues discussed: the law and media of the three countries of South Caucasus; various norms of journalistic behavior; establishment and prospects of media self-regulating institutions; prospects for cooperation and establishment of contacts between journalists of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia. The main distinguishing feature of the Seminar: the process of shortening the distance between Armenian and Azerbaijani journalists was activated, possibilities were created for further cooperation. The participants of the Seminar met Aslan Abashidze, Chairman of the Supreme Council-Head of Ajarian Autonomous Republic.
“Public Relations Services and Journalistic Access to Information” – May 2-3, 1998, Aghveran, Armenia, Seminar, organized by the YPC and supported by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation. Participants (40 in number) represented the media and the official press services of Armenia. Main issues discussed: the transparency of official press services; role of journalists in appeasing the public’s right to know; activities of press services during election campaigns, campaigning experience of the 1998 Presidential Elections; activities of foreign press services.
