Journalists speak of press freedom and financial problems in Armenia

Armenia is marking Armenian Press Day today.

Chief Editor of the Zhoghovurd (People) daily Taguhi Tovmasyan spoke of the problems of Armenian press in an interview with Tert.am.

“The torrent of information from different spheres into the Internet and the ‘digital’ world have created numerous difficulties for the press as well. The newspaper is not any longer viewed as a primary source of information. The thinned out army of readers is looking for more serious revelations and analyses there. Since newspapers do not increase the number of their copies any longer, we can think the press’ major problems is financing,” Ms Tovmasyan said.

She singled out the problem of cooperation with electronic media.

“We are working on two ‘fronts’ – the Internet and printed versions. So we are competing with both news websites and newspapers. We also have serious projects. I should say that online media have great future both as professional tools and as businesses.”

In the context of financial problems, Ms Tovmasyan spoke of the temptation to publish sponsored articles.

“It is human to yield to temptation. My staff and I are not of this kind. A good reputation is our criterion,” she said.

With respect to the freedom of the press, she said:

“I identify the freedom of speech with a free person. If a journalist or editor is not free and corrupt, no matter how much freedom he or she may enjoy, such ones will fetter themselves. So the right to free speech must be fully exercised and in harmony with your conceptions, without forgetting about responsibility. We do our work with the greatest responsibility.”

Chief Editor of the Hraparak (Square) newspaper Armen Ohanyan believes the financial problem is difficult to resolve.

“In a declining economy like Armenia, business cannot develop and large-scale emigration is observed. We have readers who buy our newspaper and lack advertisers, who are actually a source of our finances and influence our independence and further development,” he said.

One more problem is the political elite’s negative attitude to the press. Their task is to press the newspapers into stopping their activities.

“The third problem is lack of personnel I have noticed that hardly any journalists offer new and interesting ideas. This means higher schools do not turn out good journalists, and journalists themselves do not practice self-education,” he said.

With respect to sponsored articles in the context of financial problems, M Ohanyan said that the term ‘sponsored’ is unacceptable to him.

“Officials and different parties are using this word in a negative sense. They are dissatisfied with the press because of our criticism, and the term ‘sponsored’ is the only means of defense for them. This practice does exist. It is no secret. When the government and society do not support the press, and journalists’ salary is among the lowest, it is impossible that this corrupt practice not be typical of the press. But we do not practice it at the expense of our conscience, freedom and impartiality.”

Chief Editor of the Azg (Nation) newspaper Hakob Avetisyan told Tert.am that the press of free, but not independent. He means the press’ financial and economic independence, which has its impact on the content.

“By independence I first of all mean the financial and economic position for our newspapers and magazines to have development programs,” he said.

The press being dependent has grave consequences.

“As a result, the press does not feel fully free and has to execute individual orders. Both readers and I are dissatisfied with the situation, and the press’ future is vulnerable and the number of readers is decreasing,” Mr Avetisyan said.

He cannot remember any capital investments in Armenia’s press since 1995. Armenia has no advertizing market, which is the source of financing for the press.

“In developed countries the press gets advertising orders, but in Armenia it is the TV because it is more affordable for advertisers.”

“A1+” channel journalist Mher Arshakyan believes that lack of professionalism is among the major problem of Armenia’s press.
“Although we have freedom, but this freedom is at one another’s expense.”

According to him, such freedom affects the quality of news.

“Freedom lacking culture results in low quality. Higher education is important, but considering the quality of our higher schools, they cannot play a role.”