“PRESS CLUB” AND “PRESS CLUB+”: “EASTERN PARTNERSHIP” AND PROSPECTS OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT
On December 17 the last “Press Club” show in 2008 went on the air of “Yerkir-Media” TV company. The cycle was produced by Yerevan Press Club with the support of the Human Rights and Governance Grants Program of the Open Society Institute. The guests of the program host, YPC President Boris Navasardian were the Chairman of the RA National Assembly Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Issues Armen Ashotian, political scientist, doctor of history Ashot Manucharian (Germany), observer of “Aravot” daily Anna Israelian. The discussion subject was the new initiative of the European Union, “Eastern Partnership”.
On December 13 “Yerkir Media” aired the final program of “Press Club+” cycle, produced by Yerevan Press Club with the support of the UK Embassy in Armenia. The Chairman of the Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression Ashot Melikian and “Press Club+” participants – Deputy Chairman of the RA NA Standing Committee on Territorial Governance and Local Self-Administration Rafik Grigorian and the President of the Association of Communal Finance Officers Vahan Movsisian discussed the development of local self-government in Armenia. In the discussion audience, representing the media of Armavir and Kotayk regions, took part.
MEDIA ETHICS OBSERVATORY SUMMED UP ITS ACTIVITIES
On December 13-14 in Tsaghkadzor a seminar “Prospects of Media Self-Regulation and Activities in the Sphere” was held by Yerevan Press Club with the support of Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation-Armenia. In the event members of the Media Ethics Observatory took part as well as the heads of media who backed the YPC initiative to form a self-regulation system.
At the seminar the activities of the MEO during the past year were summed up, presentations were made on the trends of media accountability system development in Europe, the professional ethics of Armenian media when covering foreign affairs and regional problems. The participants also heard about the findings of the survey administered by Yerevan Press Club in late October 2008 in Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanadzor and Kapan to determine the adequacy of Armenian TV companies’ work to the information demands of their audience.
Within the seminar meetings with the RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian and the RA Human Rights Defender Armen Harutiunian were held.
The RA Prime Minister was presented the activities of Media Ethics Observatory, the mission of which is to consider the complaints-appeals on the violations of the Code of Conduct of Media Representatives and making judgments on them. The head of the Government supported the idea of resolving conflicts between the executive and media out of court, through self-regulation mechanisms, such as the MEO. Referring to other topical issues faced by the media community, the seminar participants expressed their concern over the new draft law on freedom of information, developed by the RA Ministry of Justice (see details in YPC Weekly Newsletter, October 17-23, 2008). The head of the Cabinet stressed that the draft would not be submitted to the parliament without a discussion with all the stakeholders.
In the conversation with the RA Human Rights Defender Armen Harutiunian the urgency and the necessity for establishing cooperation between the ombudsman’s office and the MEO was stressed. In particular, Armen Harutiunian proposed the participation of his representative in the sessions of MEO. The RA Human Rights Defender also suggested to jointly study the types of complaints that people have against media for violating their rights.
Media Ethics Observatory was formed on March 10, 2007 by the heads of Armenian media who supported the YPC self-regulation initiative and signed the Code of Conduct of Media Representatives and its addendum, the Declaration on Election and Referendum Coverage Principles (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, March 9-15, 2007). Recently the initiative was joined by 4 more media: “Noyan Tapan” News and Analysis Center, “Hrazdan” (Hrazdan, Kotayk region) and “Last” (Goris, Syunik region) TV companies, “Zhamanaki Mitk” newspaper. Thus, as of today the Code of Conduct is signed by 35 media. The initiative is also supported by 8 journalistic associations.
