The 8^th Pan-Armenian Forum of Journalists was organized by the RA Ministry of Diaspora and gathered representatives of several Armenian media outlets of Armenia and the Diaspora. Joining the young journalists of our days were longstanding, meritorious and experienced journalists, who have been protecting and preserving conventional print press for decades. One of those journalists was longstanding journalist, Editor-in-Chief the once very beloved, sought-after and still reputable “Avant-garde” newspaper Juliet Martirosyan, who gave an interview to Hayern Aysor.

Karine Avagyan: Dear Juliet Martirosyan, it is safe to say that you have been heroically protecting and maintaining “Avant-garde” newspaper for many years and have undergone many trials and tribulations. As a merited journalist and editor and by participating in this forum, how important do you think such forums are?

Juliet Martirosyan: I would say these forums are invaluable. First of all, all the journalists get to know each other, establish contacts, share common views on issues of national concern and, most importantly, such forums make the media representatives have an orientation. From this perspective, I believe the forums play an invaluable role. Generally speaking, if we leave the journalistic community aside, the forums are also important for the public because, at the end of the day, no matter how acceptable a journalist is or no matter how badly he or she is viewed sometimes, people wait to hear the news from journalists, receive opinions from journalists or form an opinion based on the news that is provided by journalists.

Karine Avagyan: What do you think is missing in the field of media? What is the thing around which journalists need to unite and the thing that should serve as a basis?

J. M.: Reporting information with the impartiality of a Christian must lie at the core of journalism. Journalists reporting daily online news and breaking news should report merely impartial news, not excerpts of news based on their taste, but there are periodicals that need to provide analyses. This is the core of journalism, but this is lacking in Armenia and, as far as I have understood through contacts, this is lacking in different parts of the world because there is no solution to the problem with funding. Information is the most precious commodity, but it is not paid very well by those who receive the news (TV viewers, radio listeners and readers) because there is no return, especially in the Armenian reality. Armenian media outlets abroad are dependent on their sponsors because the work needs to be done, and the sponsors obviously have their interests. I am not insisting that those interests are bad, but in any case, there is no more objectivity, and in our reality, it is normal for any political force, any politically affiliated businessman or organization to seek interests. There is a saying: “Whoever pays, orders the music”. This has become a little grotesque, but this is the essence.

Karine Avagyan: And my last question. The number of websites, electronic newspapers, television companies and radio companies and print media outlets has grown considerably throughout the years…Nevertheless, no matter how many media outlets with innovative technologies are being established and growing in number, print media remains. Do you think print media will be able to survive for a long time amid this motley of media outlets with innovative technologies?

J. M.: The word “forever” is relative. Nobody and nothing survives forever. There are many media outlets that are being created every minute. This year is the year of pre-election campaigns, and there will be new media outlets. It is a little funny, but the media outlets created for pre-election campaigns already remind one that it is print media…They said when television was created, people threatened theater figures, telling them that there would be no theater, but theater exists and is developing…The same goes for print media. There is a longing for books. If there wasn’t, why would people print books? I must say that I don’t see print media disappearing. There are devoted people who are consistent and procure funds to make sure their newspapers continue publishing. The creation of a periodical is like a birth, and it is our duty to keep and maintain every new periodical.

Interview by Karine Avagyan