Hrayr Tamrazyan’s guests on Azatutyun TV’s January 19 broadcast were Chairman of the Public Council Styopa Safaryan, Chairman of the Television and Radio Commission Tigran Hakobyan and Head of the Government’s Information and Analysis Center SNCO Hovhannes Movsisyan. Topics discussed during the program were the death of the former NSS director, “Haykakan Zhamanak”’s article, Mariam Pashinyan’s post and Arthur Vanetsyan’s response, legislative changes in the field of audiovisual media, issues related to the Armenian media, in particular, ratings and the advertising market. All this was very subjective, there was no contradictory opinion presented. The approaches of the government were supported not only by the guests, but also by Hrayr Tamrazyan himself who, besides asking directed questions, also expressed his own opinion; “I think it’s a very good idea to bring public television to the advertising field.” Though the issue of media manipulation was being discussed, Hrayr Tamrazyan, after retelling “Haykakan Zhamanak”՛s (Armenian Times) article, noted for several times that a serious campaign has been launched in the media field against the Prime Minister’s family, which is coordinated by the former director of the NSS. In general, Azatutyun has recently targeted Arthur Vanetsyan, the former head of the National Security Service; the headlines of reports on Vanetsyan prove it, for example: “Vanetsyan has zero chances, he has swallowed the Russian bait and believed he is the next prime minister.” Before the speech of Hovhannes Movsisyan, the head of the Government’s Information and Analytical Center SNCO, an episode of his speech at the National Assembly on Thursday was displayed, which Tamrazyan quoted again during the program.
“Media Advocate” initiative is concerned about the biased attitude of Azatutyun TV, in particular its leader. We occasionally notice that RFE/RL’s Armenian Service violates the norms of journalistic ethics, but Sunday’s edition went beyond all permissible limits.
