In the main newscast of the Public Television on December 10, the protests demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister were presented incompletely. A number of citizens demanding Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation took posters with pictures of Facebook fake users to the front of the government building, noting that they are actually the only Nikol Pashinyan’s supporters. Arman Saghatelyan, a public and political figure, and Narek Malyan, the leader of the VETO movement, were detained from the Republic Square. The police did not explain to the journalists on what grounds the protesters were detained. The Public TV did not present the video where the policeman tells the driver to run over the protesters. An official investigation has been appointed for this case.
Public TV did not inform that the resignation of the Prime Minister is demanded by the former Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan and the head of Tumanyan community. Instead, an extensive report was presented from the village of Beniamin, Shirak region, where the villagers are against the dismissal of the Prime Minister. Public TV did not refer to the protest of the relatives of the missing soldiers in front of the Echmiadzin military unit. The parents have not heard from their sons for 50 days, they blame the commander. The media outlet did not present the interview of Vazgen Manukyan, the candidate for the post of Prime Minister announced by the Homeland Salvation Movement. Furthermore, in the report of the NA sitting, the Public TV bypassed some episodes, in particular, why the election of the Chairman of the Cassation Court and the judges was postponed: Ararat Mirzoyan denied the information that the judges refuse to be appointed to this position by current NA.
“Media Advocate” initiative has repeatedly referred to the fact that such a work style of the news department of the publicly-funded Public Television, is unacceptable. With such selective news policy, Public TV only confirms the allegations that according to them Armenia is “Switzerland”, and that ArmTV’s Armenia is a completely different Armenia. We urge the media outlet to put its own reputation and public interest above political preferences and to stop its mission as a propaganda machine.
