Audiovisual Media in Armenia is Free and Independent, Says President of the Regulatory Commission

YEREVAN — “For the seventh time, I am presenting our annual report, and for the seventh time, I must repeat: audiovisual media in Armenia is free and independent.”

This statement was made in the National Assembly by Tigran Hakobyan, President of the Television and Radio Commission (TRC), during the presentation of the Commission’s 2024 annual report on its activities and the state of information freedom in the audiovisual media sector.

“I’m referring to audiovisual service providers under the regulatory oversight of our commission. In 2024, we did not receive a single complaint from audiovisual service providers — that is, from television stations, radio broadcasters, or network operators. Even in response to our written inquiries at the end of the year, we received no negative feedback,” Hakobyan noted.

“Since the commission does not have the authority to monitor the relationships between media outlets, media owners, and funding sources, we have no information on the state of information freedom in that area. However, I believe the situation there is likely much more troubling,” he added.