Editor of the “Zhamanak” daily and founding editor of the web-site www.1in.am Arman Babajanyan does not foresee a bright future for the print media (especially for the newspapers) in Armenia if, according to him, the government does not take measures – hold competitions, develop grant and support programs for the newspapers.

The editor says that over the recent months Armenian newspapers have appeared in a more difficult situation, especially after decriminalization of the ‘Law on libel and insult’. 

“On one hand the newspapers’ circulation is very limitted, and they are not able to at least make their expenditures self-sufficient, on the other hand the authorities consistently try to create financial obstacles for the newspapers challenging this or that issue in the court and demanding the highest financial compensation set by the law, thus more and more hindering to the establishment of the free media in Armenia,” says Babajanyan.

The editor of the “Azg” daily Hakob Avetikyan is of the opinion that today and in the future the newspaper sould be a commentary and analytical medium rather than a paper to just share news.

Read More »Two Generations of the Same Opinion: The Future of Newspapers Not Encouraging

According to epress.am, the chief editor of the local daily “Haykakan Jamanak” (Armenian Times), the imprisoned journalist Nikol Pashinyan has been nominated for the International Hrant Dink Award.

Each year, the award is given to one citizen from Turkey and to one citizen from abroad. In 2009, the award winners were Turkish journalist Alper Görmüş and Israeli journalist, publicist Amira Hass, while in 2010, the award was given to Turkey’s Conscientious Objection Movement and to Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón Real.

Nikol Pashinyan was nominated for this year’s award by the Yerevan-based International Journalists’ Network.

Read More »Nikol Pashinyan Nominated for Hrant Dink Award

Ապրիլի 27-ին մոտ 200 մարդ հավաքվել էր վրացական հեռահաղորդակցությունների օպերատոր Silknet-ի շենքի մոտ՝ պահանջելով SILK TV-ի հեռուստատեսային եթերում ներառել Maestro TV հեռուստաալիքը: Ցույցի մասնակիցները հասարակական կազմակերպությունների և ընդդիմադիր վեց կուսակցությունների երիտասարդ ակտիվիստներ էին:

Բողոքի ակցիան կազմակերպել էր Mastro TV-ով ցուցադրվող «Առանց հավատարմագրման» հեռուստածրագրի հաղորդավար Շալվա Ռամիշվիլին, ով մինչ այդ ևս արտահայտել էր իր բողոքը Silknet-ի շենքի մոտ: Ի պատասխան բողոքի` ապրիլի 20-ին հեռարձակող օպերատորը հայտարերել էր, որ ցույցի պատճառով Maestro TV-ի հետ մինչ այդ կնքնված համագործակցության պայմանագիրը խզվում է:

Այս անգամ Շալվա Ռամիշվիլուն թույլատրել էին հանդիպել Silknet-ի PR մենեջեր Նինո  Դարասելիի հետ: Սակայն փակ հանդիպման արդյունքում կողմերին որևէ համաձայնության հասնել չի հաջողվել:

Աղբյուր: Media.ge

Read More »Maestro TV-ի 200-հոգանոց ցույցը Silknet-ի շենքի մոտ

On April 27 a group of 200 people demanding the inclusion of Maestro TV into the SILK TV programming rallied outside the premises of the Georgian telecommunications operator Silknet. The rally participants included the representatives of public organizations and young activists of six opposition parties.

The rally was initiated by Shalva Ramishvili, the author and presenter of the Maestro TV program Without Accreditation, having demonstrated his protest outside the Silknet premises earlier too. In response the telecommunications company said on April 20 that due to the rally the cooperation plan with Maestro TV, which had been worked out by Silkent, was thwarted. Pressure and blackmail is unacceptable to us, the company then stated.

The representatives of the new rally scanned “Maestro!” with the accompaniment of hooters. Later Shalva Ramishvili handed over the Silknet security guards 5,000 signatures with the indication on a pledge to become SILK TV subscribers in case of including Maestro TV into the programming.

Following the handover of the aforementioned list Shalva Ramishvili demanded a meeting with the Silknet management. He was received by Nino Daraseli, head of PR department. After the closed meeting he notified TV supporters that neither this time “an adequate response” was provided by Silknet.

Read More »200 People Demanding Maestro TV Broadcasts Rally Outside Silknet Premises

According to Totalfootball.am, on April 28, at its regular meeting, the Disciplinary Committee of Football Federation of Armenia adopted a decision on the case of the chief trainer of “Ararat” football team Arkady Andreasyan, who beat 19-year-old photojournalist Ashot Arushanyan from Totalfootball.am last week, at Hrazdan Stadium.

According to the decision Andreasyan has been disqualified from 10 games for his hooligan behavior, and “Ararat” club fined 250,000 drams (about $670).

“Ararat” will be obliged to pay also 150,000 drams ($400) for the club’s security employer Arthur Arzoumanian’s behavior for “helping” Andreasyan to beat the photojournalist.

According to the press secretary of the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA), the Disciplinary Committee has also suggested the FFA Executive Committee to recognize the chief trainer of “Ararat” football team Arkady Andreasyan as an undesired person in football. Several years ago Andreasyan was in a similar status, but later the Federation changed its decision.

Source: Totalfootball.am

Translated by JNews.am

Read More »A Reverse Blow: Legendary Footballer Expected to Become an Undesired Person in Football

According to Totalfootball.am, on April 23, during the half-time of a football match of the Armenian Premier League “Ararat” – “Pyunik” (1:4 (0:2)) photojournalist Ashot Arushanyan was beaten by the coach of FC Ararat Arkady Andreasyan and his mates after he tried to shoot the coach. Andreasyan was the first to hit the journalist, and then he was beaten in the tunnel of the “Hrazdan” stadium.

The 19-year-old photojournalist was taken to hospital but released the next morning. According to Totalfootball.am, Andreasyan stayed at the police station till late midnight.

Fans of FC Ararat demand the coach’s and at the same time the club’s vice-president’s resignation because of the poor results in the championship and violation of the club’s reputation.

Source: Totalfootball.am

Translated by JNews.am

Read More »Football kick: Football Legend – Coach Beats Journalist

Armenian astrophysicists are now practicing a new sphere – the science PR. The organizer is the Armenian Astronomical Community and the president of the organization Areg Miqaelyan.

Already 86 journalists and science workers have entered the new Facebook group “Science Journalists of Armenia” where they discuss topics and exchange information. 

According to Areg Miqaelyan, after the Facebook page was created, the number of publications and programs on science has obviously increased. And on April 16, a seminar on the issues of science journalism was organized at the Byurakan observatory for more than 30 members of the group where the journalists were introduced to the history of the observatory, the achivements of modern astronomy, international cooperation in this field, programs and problems of the observatory. The presentations were made by Areg Miqaelyan and the head of the observatory Hayk Harutyunyan.

The world has changed, and if in Soviet times scientists made explorings by orders from above and didn’t publish their works, today a lot depends on the presentation of the sceintist’s material.

Read More »Close To Space: Astrophysicists to Act Publicly

By the decision of UNESCO, April 23 is the international day of book and copyright. For already 3 years the Armenian Misitry of Culture joined this holiday, and regularly organizes events aiming at spreading the book and increasing awareness concerning the copyright. This year this chain of events started on April 21 and will end on April 26.

The influence of these events on the society is not yet examined, but according to some experts, the violation of copyright in Armenia today is more than 90%.

Moreover, these violations take place almost in every field. There’s no single sphere speaking of which the term “piracy” can be omitted. Perhaps, the only “clean” places are theaters where in the case of staging a modern performance all the members of the staff are getting paid – the scriptwriter, the director, the composer, the operator, the producer (after 70 years from the author’s death the law on copyright loses it’s force).

If classical branches of art are more or less “fair”, then plagiarism in the music and television is a usual thing. On one hand it is expressed by the production of false CDs which secures great profit for the law violators, on the other hand, by the complicity of proving the copyright.

Read More »Chain of Crimes: How to Stop Copyright Violations?

Should the information be free or the author must vigilantly control the use of his creation? This problem became particularly acute with the development of the Internet, where information is shared with lightning speed, and the author is often “lost” on the road.

In 2001, the organization Creative Commons was created to reform the copyright under the existing law in order to expand the lawful use of works.

The organization has developed a license, thanks to which authors are free to choose what part of their rights they are willing to share.

Creative Commons or CC license afforded authors an opportunity to allow use their works with attribution (enable /disable the use for commercial purposes, enable/disable modification of the source material, etc.).

So an alternative, ‘CC some rights reserved’ appeared for the ‘© All rights reserved’ license. Between 2002 and 2009, CC license was given to 350 million works.

Creative Commons is a middle ground between the rigid copyright and the ideology of copyleft, implying that the information should be fully transferred to public use.

Copyleft spread among the creators of the software by Richard Stallman, and his supporters say the idea of ​​Creative Commons is not enough liberal.

Read More »Creative Commons: A Free and Alternative Method of Protecting Copyright on the Internet

While advertising CDs or DVDs on TV, radio or through other medium there is always an annex followed, “buy only licensed discs with holographic sign”.

This certifies on that the market is full of non-licensed or as said of “pirate” products, where there is no word on copyright at all.

Today one may find arbitrary disks, both of local and foreign production, in each store and subway. Of course, it is about the non-licensed versions, moreover, at a few times lower price than original ones, 700-1000 AMD (about $2-3). Their authors, the “pirates”, justify their activity by telling that the non-original version of the product is more accessed for the citizens , and they are less concerned about the author’s copyright.   

Since March 1, 2011 the RA law on ‘Mandatory labeling of audiovisual magnetic carriers through control signs (stamp labels)’ has come into force. In case of the law’s full application the “pirate” cobweb will vanish, licensed discs with holographic signs will only be sold in stores, and authorship will be protected.

Meanwhile, in Yerevan, disk sellers of a few stores and tables located adjacent to subways unanimously insist that the new law will monopolize this business.

Read More »Genuine Fraud: Copyright Violated, But “It Is Our Job”