Activity Details (ID# 10849)

Activity Synopsis

The objectives of the seminar were to discuss the means to ensure accountability of the media at a time when the Armenian community of journalists is working on the setting up of a self-regulatory body and to present the Council of Europe’s standards and work relating to freedom of expression in times of crisis on the one hand, and the right to respect for private life on the other, and the interest of self-regulation in these fields. 

Mr Ara MARGARIAN from the Council of Europe Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia opened the seminar and emphasized the importance of the media in a democratic society and of increasing the level of professionalism in the media.

During the first session, Mr Claude-Jean BERTRAND gave an overview of Media Accountability Systems (M. A. S.) which he defines as any non-governmental means used to ensure that media serve the public well. He stressed that no one M. A. S. is sufficient in itself but that several should be used. He stated that a Press Council can be the ultimate M. A. S., can do more than just settle complaints and could, inter alia, improve media services by monitoring the press and by encouraging research on how the news media actually function. He pointed out, however, that a Press council could be expensive to run.

Mr Hakob AVEDIKIAN drew a picture of the development of the media in Armenia over the last 10/20 years and stated that this development could be divided into three main periods:

• 1990-1997: beginning of a free press; media was print media (divided into opposition and governmental press), public ignored/excluded:
• 1997-2000 : development of TV; period of sponsorship; public left outside from the process; in 1996, media create an association (more a way of self protection than self regulation);
• as from 2000 : commercialisation of the media; growing importance of advertising; change in management rules; media seek to reach the public.

Mr AVEDIKIAN concluded that it was now time for the setting up of a self-regulatory mechanism for private media. He explained, in this context, that a study made by the Yerevan Press Club had shown that journalists have more reservations than managers as regards a self-regulatory body.

During the discussions, worries were expressed about the fact that a Press Council could be a tool in the hand of the government or a factor of self-censorship. It was also stated that the setting up of the Press Council should not depend on external financial assistance.

The second session was dedicated to the coverage of situations of conflict and of times of crisis.

Mr Mario OETHEIMER presented the case law of the European Court of Human rights and the work of the Council of Europe in this field.

Mr Boris NAVASARDIAN, President of the Yerevan Press Club, spoke of the difficulties in defining a “time of crisis” and the possible consequences that this may have on the status of journalists. He mentioned the Law on the fight against Terrorism adopted in March 2005 and signed by the President of the Republic of Armenia in April 2005 and referred to the difficulties that journalists would encounter under this Law in reporting on Terrorism issues. He then gave an overview of the attitude of the media towards the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. Participants notably discussed the co-operation between Armenian and Azerbaijani Media and stated that their proposals for co-operation with Azerbaijani journalists, even on non-political subjects, had remained unanswered.

During the third session, the question as to whether the judgments Von Hannover v. Germany and Tammer v. Estonia have affected the balance between Freedom of Expression and Right to Privacy was discussed between the experts and the participants. The participants underlined their lack of understanding of the two afore-mentioned judgments and questions were raised about the definitions of a public figure and of a public and a private place.
 

The seminar was very timely and therefore highly appreciated by the participants with whom there have been lively and interesting discussions.

As a follow-up, the Council of Europe Media Division could usefully organise a seminar on specific self-regulatory mechanisms for public broadcasters. Access to information was also mentioned as a topic of interest to the Armenian community of journalists.
 

Journalists 

Claude-Jean Bertrand, Professor Emeritus, University of Paris II, France
Mario Oetheimer, lawyer, European Court of Human Rights
 

Charlotte de Broutelles, Media Division, Directorate General of Human Rights