On November 3, “The Voice of Russia” started broadcasting in Armenia on FM 106.0. Radio station is a joint project of “The Voice of Russia” and “News-Armenia” (both part of “Russia Today” international multimedia news agency) and positions itself as a radio specializing on news and analysis.
“Radio station is meant to become a catalyst for certain processes in the media market of Armenia”, stated Armen Gasparian, senior manager of “Russia Today” (hereafter quoted from “News-Armenia”).
Armen Gasparian believes that “there were no radio stations specializing on news and analysis in Armenia before, or the existing ones were local and did not cover all the processes taking place in the country”. He also adds that “talks about the necessity of helping Armenian colleagues with starting a news radio were in place for quite some time, and the Eurasian space additionally stirs these processes”. Armen Gasparian hopes that “the project will become a trendsetter in Armenian media landscape”.
“Naturally, each country has its geopolitical and strategic interests. Russia and Armenia are bound by century-long friendship. Of course, Armenian interests are on the first place but we will inform also about Moscow’s position on the issues happening here”, said Armen Gasparian.
P.S. Indeed, quality news are in short supply in our broadcast media, however, media telling “about Moscow’s position” are in excess. Enough said with the three Russian TV channels aired in open access in Armenia whose news and analysis programs, mildly speaking, are perceived as controversial.
Few months ago, speaking in the Armenian parliament, Dmitry Kiselyov, Director General of “Russia Today”, along with other statements which caused public outrage in Armenia, also claimed that today journalistic principles such as, for example, distinction between facts and comments, have lost relevance. Is that the essence of Eurasian media trends which the new radio project aims to spread?
Back in 1923, Vladimir Mayakovsky in his article “Agitation and Advertising” wrote: “We know very well the power of agitation. Each military victory, each economic success on 9/10 depends on the effectiveness and the strength of our agitation.” The classics is eternal…
