On February 2, 2007, at the meeting of media representatives, supporting the YPC initiative, a working group was formed that developed Code of Conduct of Media Representatives and the Declaration on Election and Referendum Coverage Principles, narrated in the Appendix to it.
On March 10, 2007, at the meeting of heads of media and journalistic associations these documents were adopted and signed.
At the meeting of March 10, 2007, the Media Ethics Observatory (MEO) was also elected and listed 7 members.
At the December 24, 2011 meeting of the representatives of media and journalistic associations it was resolved to expand the composition of MEO up to 14 members (at the same time, each MEO session is attended at least by 7 of its 14 members by a rotation principle).
On June 25, 2017 and November 9-11, 2018, at the regular general meetings of representatives of media and journalistic associations, the MEO composition underwent changes.
On May 15, 2021, at the general meeting of representatives of media and journalistic associations, the MEO composition changed again.
On June 24, 2023, at the general meeting of representatives of media and journalistic associations, the MEO composition changed.
At the May 18, 2024 meeting of the representatives of media and journalistic associations it was resolved to expand the composition of MEO up to 15 members (at the same time, each MEO session is attended at least by 8 of its 15 members by a rotation principle).
As of today Media Ethics Observatory members are:
Davit Alaverdyan, Chief Editor of “Mediamax” news agency
Narineh Avetisyan, Executive Director of Vanadzor “Lori” TV company
Ruben Babayan, Director, Professor at Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography
Levon Barseghyan, Head of Asparez Journalists’ club
Shushan Doydoyan, President of Freedom of Information Center
Ara Ghazaryan, Lawyer
Karineh Harutyunyan, Director Regiontv.am (Gyumri)
Arsen Kharatyan, Founder of “Alik Media”
Ashot Melikyan, Chairman of Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression
Gnel Nalbandyan, Chief Editor of “Newmag” Publishing House
Boris Navasardian, Yerevan Press Club Honorary President, MEO Chairman
Vigen Sargsyan, Chairman of the Commission on Professional Ethics of the Yerevan Press Club
Nouneh Sarkissian, Managing Director of Media Initiatives Center
Anzhela Stepanyan, Editor of Armavir “Alt” TV company
Ara Shirinyan, Chairman of the Council of Public Broadcaster of Armenia.
At the meeting of November 9-11, 2018, a Memorandum on Coverage of the 2018 Snap Elections to the RA National Assembly was adopted and signed (ՀՀ ԱԺ 2018թ. արտահերթ ընտրությունների լուսաբանման Հուշագիր).
At the meeting of May 15, 2021, on the basis of the above-mentioned document, a Memorandum on Coverage of the 2021 Snap Elections to the RA National Assembly was adopted (ՀՀ ԱԺ 2021թ. արտահերթ ընտրությունների լուսաբանման Հուշագիր).
At the meeting of May 15, 2021, amendments and supplements were also made to the Code of Ethics of Armenian Media and Journalists (earlier, at the meeting of May 16, 2015, its revised version had been adopted with a modified title):
Code of Ethics of Armenian Media and Journalists
As of today the Code of Ethics is signed by 85 Armenian media; the initiative is supported by 8 journalistic associations.
Media representatives, who signed the Code of Ethics, acknowledge the right of the MEO to examine the conformity of their acts and publications to the provisions of the Code and state their willingness to publish decisions of the MEO in their media.
On February 3, 2022, MEO signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Commission on Television and Radio.
On April 29, 2022, MEO submitted to the RA Ministry of Justice the Draft Concept on the Institutional Development of Media Self-Regulation System.
The mission of the MEO consists in consideration of complaints and appeals regarding the violations of the Code of Ethics and making judgments on them.
The Regulations of the Media Ethics Observatory were adopted on December 13, 2009 and underwent some changes on December 24, 2011. On March 16, 2018, MEO adopted new Regulations, which were amended on May 18 2024 at the general meeting of representatives of media and journalistic associations (ԶԼՄ-ների էթիկայի Դիտորդ մարմնի աշխատակարգը).
The Code of the Media Ethics Observatory was adopted on April 29, 2024 and approved at the Media Self-regulation Initiative General Meeting on May 18, 2024 (Դիտորդ մարմնի վարքականոն).
MEO Contact Information: [email protected]; Tel. +374 10 53 00 67
