OSCE promotes best international practices in digital journalism in Armenia

New trends and tools in production of journalistic content, coverage of conflicts and investigative journalism were amongst the topics of a conference held on 23 September  2016 in Yerevan within the Digital Story-Telling events series, supported by the OSCE Office in Yerevan and organized by the Media Initiatives Centre NGONGO
non-governmental organization.

Some 80 conference participants discussed the developments in digital environment and their impact on production of the media content, the challenges and opportunities brought by new technologies, convergent newsrooms and social networks for the media, editors and public.  Experts from Latvia, Russia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, as well as media practitioners and experts from Armenia shared best practices and projects using new media technologies.

“Rapidly developing media technologies have reshaped the ways in which we all are able to express ideas,” said Deputy Head of the OSCE Office Barbara Davis. “Regardless of technology, the underlying principles of free media, which include respecting democratic values and professional ethics, must remain.”

The Managing Director of the Media Initiatives Centre Nouneh Sargsyan, said: “It is important for the Armenian media sector to feel the pulse of international developments. Even in the digital era, real-life encounters, learning and analyzing the practice of experts from various corners of the world is greatly beneficial.”    

The conference was followed by a media contest called “2016 Stories of Change”, held on 24 September in Yerevan. The contest was aimed at raising public awareness on decentralization, transparency and accountability, and social-sector policy reforms through recognizing high-quality journalism. The Office conferred a special prize on Arman Suleymanyan, a CivilNet journalist, for his story concerning the social inclusion of disabled persons.  Winners in the four main categories included the “AR” TV company; the “Hetq” online investigative resource; and the CivilNet.

The Digital Story-Telling events series were organized by the Media Initiatives Centre in the framework of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded project, with co-funding from the Beeline Armenia Telecommunication Company.