Self-Regulation Initiative: Media Ethics Observatory

On January 9, 2007, Yerevan Press Club issued an address to the media community of Armenia, suggesting to jointly develop the norms of professional ethics. YPC expressed a wish that “the norms be acceptable for as many media and journalists as possible and be applied by them in their day-to-day work”.

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 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.

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, Acting Director of Gyumri “GALA” TV company

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 76 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 15, 2021 at the general meeting of representatives of media and journalistic associations (ԶԼՄ-ների էթիկայի Դիտորդ մարմնի աշխատակարգը).

MEO Contact Information: [email protected]; Tel. +374 10 53 76 62, 53 35 41, 53 00 67; Fax +374 10 53 56 61.