The Hayakve initiative staged a protest outside the Public Broadcaster Council’s building, demanding the resignations of council chairman Vasak Darbinyan and Public Television Executive Director Hovhannes Movsisyan.
The initiative’s founder, Avetik Chalabyan, recalled that on September 27, the anniversary of the beginning of the 44-day war, the broadcaster did not address the war or broadcast from the Yerablur Military Pantheon and aired a concert that evening, which he said added insult to citizens’ grief, Panorama.am reports.
Protesters carried placards stating that Public Television must serve the entire public and that it belongs to the people, not to the ruling Civil Contract party.
The initiative also prepared an open letter setting out its demands, which Chalabyan read aloud during the gathering.
“The Hayakve national civic association expresses its profound outrage over the inappropriate and disrespectful program broadcast by Public Television on September 27, as well as the biased policies pursued by the public broadcaster for years.
“September 27 is a tragic and sacred day of remembrance for our people and statehood. Broadcasting inappropriate content that violates public values on Public Television on that day is not only unacceptable but also a blatant insult to our society, the memory of those who died, and the public broadcaster’s fundamental mission.
“This incident is the predictable consequence of systemic inaction and political subservience on the part of Public Television’s leadership.
“Public Television, which is financed by Armenian taxpayers and legally obliged to maintain neutrality and pluralism, has been transformed into a government propaganda machine.
“During election periods, Public Television has completely departed from its mission, engaging in overt and comprehensive pro-government propaganda and violating every principle of equal conditions and fairness in coverage.
“Political programs, particularly interviews hosted by Petros Ghazaryan, demonstrate an unmistakably biased position. Airtime is used to promote government narratives, while opposition and dissenting viewpoints are subjected to targeting and manipulation.
“Coverage of the National Assembly’s activities is conducted exclusively in the interests of the ruling Civil Contract party, marginalizing alternative viewpoints and the work of the parliamentary opposition.
“Various individuals who have abandoned their faith and who sow divisions within the church hierarchy and national and spiritual values are given airtime, deliberately undermining the Armenian Apostolic Church and public solidarity.
“In light of the above, we demand the immediate resignations of Public Broadcaster Council Chairman Vasak Darbinyan and Public Television Executive Director Hovhannes Movsisyan for failing to uphold appropriate broadcasting policies, allowing the September 27 program to air, and turning Public Television into a government propaganda instrument.
“We also demand an immediate review of Public Television’s broadcasting policies and the return of the broadcaster to the public,” the letter states.
It was previously reported that disciplinary sanctions had been imposed on Public Television Executive Director Hovhannes Movsisyan and his deputy, programming director Levon Margaryan, over the broadcast of an entertainment concert on September 27.
Public Television earlier acknowledged that airing an entertainment concert on September 27 was a mistake and accepted full responsibility. Singer Tata Simonyan also commented on the broadcast of his concert, calling it unacceptable.
Following the incident, the Public Broadcaster Council announced that it would investigate the circumstances and, if necessary, take appropriate measures against those responsible.
