Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04YEREVAN2324
2004-10-19 12:10:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Yerevan
Cable title:
LOCAL STATION DROPS RFE/RL NEWS SHOW
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS YEREVAN 002324
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CACEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM AM
SUBJECT: LOCAL STATION DROPS RFE/RL NEWS SHOW
(U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.
-------
SUMMARY
-------
UNCLAS YEREVAN 002324
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CACEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM AM
SUBJECT: LOCAL STATION DROPS RFE/RL NEWS SHOW
(U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (SBU) An independent TV news broadcast produced by
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was cancelled on
October 13 after airing a single episode. The director
of the station denied government pressure. We believe,
however, that this incident was an act of self-
censorship to avoid conflict with the government, which
keeps a tight rein on broadcast media. End Summary
--------------
RFE/RL'S SHORT RUN
--------------
2. (SBU) On October 10 and 11, Kentron television aired
the only episode of a news program it produced in
cooperation with RFE/RL. According to executives at
Kentron and other media accounts, the public received
the show favorably, but on October 13, Kentron dropped
it from the schedule. Local opposition media and the
RFE/RL service director in Prague speculated publicly
that the government had forced Kentron to drop its
cooperation with RFE/RL. Kentron director Petros
Ghazarian, however, told us that no one representing
the GOAM had contacted Kentron about the program.
--------------
OVERSHADOWED
--------------
3. (SBU) Kentron is often regarded as the "opposition"
television station because of its managerial
association with several opposition newspapers, and
also because the station produces some of the more
balanced television news in Yerevan. It lives in the
shadow of A1-plus, an opposition television station
that went off the air in 2002. (Note: Human rights
groups believe A1-plus lost its license largely because
of its support of the opposition. End Note.) Kentron
began broadcasting on the same frequency shortly after
the closure of A1-plus. In the past, Kentron has held
back its on-air personalities, sometimes replacing
reporters who became "too political," effectively
censoring themselves.
--------------
COMMENT: THINGS THAT GET BUMPED IN THE NIGHT
--------------
4. (SBU) Whether or not it is justified, Kentron
station management believes that the GOAM got rid of A1-
plus, and Kentron is willing to self-censor in an
effort to stay on the air. One viewer of the RFE/RL
program praised the station for the show but asked,
"will they [the authorities] let you go on?" We will
never know because Kentron television executives pulled
the plug themselves.
GODFREY
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CACEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM AM
SUBJECT: LOCAL STATION DROPS RFE/RL NEWS SHOW
(U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (SBU) An independent TV news broadcast produced by
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was cancelled on
October 13 after airing a single episode. The director
of the station denied government pressure. We believe,
however, that this incident was an act of self-
censorship to avoid conflict with the government, which
keeps a tight rein on broadcast media. End Summary
--------------
RFE/RL'S SHORT RUN
--------------
2. (SBU) On October 10 and 11, Kentron television aired
the only episode of a news program it produced in
cooperation with RFE/RL. According to executives at
Kentron and other media accounts, the public received
the show favorably, but on October 13, Kentron dropped
it from the schedule. Local opposition media and the
RFE/RL service director in Prague speculated publicly
that the government had forced Kentron to drop its
cooperation with RFE/RL. Kentron director Petros
Ghazarian, however, told us that no one representing
the GOAM had contacted Kentron about the program.
--------------
OVERSHADOWED
--------------
3. (SBU) Kentron is often regarded as the "opposition"
television station because of its managerial
association with several opposition newspapers, and
also because the station produces some of the more
balanced television news in Yerevan. It lives in the
shadow of A1-plus, an opposition television station
that went off the air in 2002. (Note: Human rights
groups believe A1-plus lost its license largely because
of its support of the opposition. End Note.) Kentron
began broadcasting on the same frequency shortly after
the closure of A1-plus. In the past, Kentron has held
back its on-air personalities, sometimes replacing
reporters who became "too political," effectively
censoring themselves.
--------------
COMMENT: THINGS THAT GET BUMPED IN THE NIGHT
--------------
4. (SBU) Whether or not it is justified, Kentron
station management believes that the GOAM got rid of A1-
plus, and Kentron is willing to self-censor in an
effort to stay on the air. One viewer of the RFE/RL
program praised the station for the show but asked,
"will they [the authorities] let you go on?" We will
never know because Kentron television executives pulled
the plug themselves.
GODFREY