On December 3, an online meeting was held between experts from the National Council and the Commission on Television and Radio of the Republic of Armenia. This is the first in a series of planned consultations between employees of both media regulators, which was agreed upon in October during a visit of the Chair of the National Council, Olha Herasymiuk, to her Armenian colleagues.
The purpose of the meetings is to hold expert discussions on issues of importance to both sides, in particular media regulation, countering propaganda, disinformation, and fake news, tracking content in the online space, conducting monitoring, responding to violations, etc. According to the Armenian participants, these meetings are important to them as they help them find their own European path.
Today’s conversation was devoted to the topic of media monitoring. Ihor Tymofieiev, chief specialist of the analytical department of the National Council, spoke about the specifics of monitoring and the topics it covers. He provided data on the number of media outlets and the measures taken against them for various violations. He explained what content media organizations are prohibited from sharing under the law.
Armenian colleagues showed great interest in the technical aspects of media monitoring. The Ukrainian side shared the experience of their German colleagues, who use artificial intelligence tools. These can be particularly helpful for tracking content in the online space. The National Council is currently also exploring the possibility of using this program.
The parties also discussed information influences and the problems of spreading propaganda and disinformation, which is particularly relevant for Armenia on the eve of elections. According to Hayk Barseghyan, there are no legislative norms in the country to prevent discriminatory or false content: these issues are only considered by an independent media ethics group, whose conclusions are advisory in nature and do not prevent the further spread of disinformation.
The representative of the Armenian Commission shared that there are two Russian TV channels in the public space of Armenia – Vsemirnaya Set and Rossiya RTR – which broadcast the well-known Kremlin narratives. These channels are distributed under an intergovernmental agreement, and the regulator has no influence over them. At the same time, other channels, including the public broadcaster, offer programs and expert commentary that truthfully cover world events and emphasize other points, which ultimately ensures balance and proper coverage.
During the meeting, media literacy, the implementation of the European Directive, and the regulation of online media were discussed. In Armenia, online publications are currently not regulated: the law only requires authorization, after which they operate without supervision.
The next meeting between employees of both media regulators is scheduled to take place in a week. It will reveal the specifics of the countries’ legislation on combating hate speech, indicators for assessing violations, the work of distributors, etc.
