When I posted the link to her blog post on Twitter, @LGBTAsylumNews re-tweeted it by commenting: “fantastic report on grassroots LGBT work with media in Armenia by @Lara_Aha”
RT @unzippedblog fantastic report on grassroots LGBT work with media in Armenia by @Lara_Aha http://bit.ly/9coO1A #armLGBTIn a very recent past, I did criticise, at times pretty harsh, the British Council in Armenia for their failures in dealing with the LGBT related issues and effective (even if not intended) promotion of homophobic media outlets. Praise where praise is due. To the organiser - British Council Armenia, and participants, of course.
This type of workshops are exactly the type of initiatives that must be supported by bodies like the British Council if they want to promote and support changes for better in Armenia, and for real. While the immediate outcomes of this media workshop are indeed positive, its long-term success will depend on continuity of the process. Further media monitoring will give an idea whether this seminar made an impact (at least) on the work of those who participated.
Important update: Radio Van removed their joint highly praised #armLGBT media workshop article prepared by Arman from the radio station and Mamikon from PINK Armenia. I have to say, I am not surprised. I am (always!) ready to acknowledge positive changes, regardless of past history. But... Removal of this article means one thing to me. This particular radio station initially posted it to show off only. They didn't mean it. It was perhaps too honest for their 'standards'. You may still read the article (both parts) in full on Mamikon’s personal blog:
Ես կապ չունեմ նրանց հետ
Толерантность-шо це та ке?
***
And below are few more links prepared by participants following the media workshop.
ArmVersion:
Երկխոսությունը ծնում է հանդուրժողականություն
Խղճուկ ես դառնում, եթե պետությունը կողքիդ չի
***
Hetq Online:
Նա ընտրել է մարդկային հարաբերություններից ամենաբարդը
Lilit and Mary: Two Women Living Together in Armenia
***
Jenka’s blog
Ապրել այնպես, որ......
***
A1+:
Լուսանկարչուհին իրեն է պատկերել
Photostory by Svetlana Antonyan ('Ocean') on A1+: artist, gay, society...
***
Here are how the events were unfolded at the media workshop, as reported on Twitter by participants @Lara_Aha, @ditord and @mmkarmenia (with few additional tweets and comments [] by myself @unzippedblog).
Day 1: 12 November 2010
ditord
Media workshop in Tsakhadzor, #Armenia to bring together journalists and LGBT activists for team reporting projects #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
in Tsaghkatsor, Seminar on #LGBT rights and media in #Armenia 12-14 November, will be moderating discussion on #tolerance #ArmLGBT
unzippedblog
Follow @Lara_Aha @ditord @mmkarmenia for updates on #Armenia media seminar/workshop in Tsaghkadzor on #LGBT rights and reporting #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
#LGBT members and media people get to know each other, the ambiance a little tense but people r starting to open up #armLGBT #Armenia
Lara_Aha
@unzippedblog [present at media seminar are] journalists from A1+, hetq, Aravot, radio Van, Hraparak, Tert, IWPR #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
[also present at the seminar are] observers from #british Embassy, British council #armLGBT #armenia
Lara_Aha
@ditord is facilitating the introductions #armLGBT #armenia
Lara_Aha
the group is divided in 2: #LGBT and media. they will prepare a list of complaints against each other #armLGBT #armenia
Lara_Aha
the #LGBT community representatives expressed their concerns regarding media reporting and same the media group #armLGBT now will present
Lara_Aha
@ditord presenting the concerns and expectations of the media regarding the #LGBT community #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
radio van issue has been raised in the media group #armLGBT #armenia
Lara_Aha
What is the #LGBT community is expecting from the Armenian media? #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
media says: #LGBT community has to develop a better media strategy #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
media wants to know the needs of the #LGBT community in #Armenia #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
#LGBT community is presenting their concerns: first, use of language in the media, hamaseramol for example #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
second problem is the silence towards #LGBT issues in #Armenia media #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
3rd: lack of real investigation and references in articles related to #LGBT issues #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
misinformation distributed through media on #LGBT issues #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
another important concern: the fine line between hate speech and freedom of expression #LGBT #armLGBT #armenia
Lara_Aha
both sides presented, now the discussion starts between #LGBT and media #armLGBT #armenia
Lara_Aha
#LGBT representative is suggesting to present the right terminology regarding sexual orientation for use in media #armLGBT #Armenia
Lara_Aha
it's getting really hot in this conference room, heated debate #armLGBT #armenia
unzippedblog
@Lara_Aha You should all go for drinks afterwards :) #armLGBT
mmkarmenia
Changes are possible #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
@unzippedblog actually we will play mafia :) afterwards #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
@ditord is presenting "tolerance in media" #armLGBT #armenia
Lara_Aha
it seems that there is a good start for communication between #LGBT and media groups #armLGBT #armenia
Lara_Aha
62.5% of ethnic minority groups media coverage in #southcaucasus 2004-2006 #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
0.4% of sexual minority group media coverage in #southcaucasus, 2004-2006 #armLGBT #LGBT #armenia
Lara_Aha
ALM is the most tolerant towards ethnic minorities apparently in Armenian TV and Aravot among the newspapers #armLGBT #armenia
Lara_Aha
sexual minorities are the most active in using #socialmedia in #armenia for their cause #armLGBT #LGBT
Lara_Aha
[these are questionable projections] according to kinsey method, in #Armenia 4% of male pop. is gay and 2% of female population - aprox. 65 000 men and 18 000 women #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
Vahan Ishkhanyan talking about Charents' gay poems published in inqnaqir and the issue around it #armLGBT #armenia
mmkarmenia
Vahan Ishkhanyan is presenting Chatents's homoerotic poems #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
end of day one, seminar media and #LGBT - interesting discussions /insights #armLGBT #armenia
Day 2: 13 November 2010
mmkarmenia
day 2: preparing articles with media representatives #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
Day 2: media training seminar on #LGBT issues. Today participants are paired to write articles on the issue #armLGBT #armenia
mmkarmenia
me and Arman from radio Van will prepare an article together, hope it will not be the most boring in the group #armLGBT
mmkarmenia
What we did for journalists, don't know yet. What they changed in me, forced to write an article:) #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
the team will be back soon to present their story drafts, can't wait. Some of them even went out in the city to do an opinion poll #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
watching a documentary filmed by one of the participant journalists in 2004 but refused for hatuk goti [TV programme], entitled "dziadzzni dak" #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
now journalists are asking honest questions about #LGBT isues, to understand more and getting answers from the #LGBT reps. #armLGBT #armenia
mmkarmenia
Tomorrow morning you can read Arman's article on radio Van's blog, for me it is perfect #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
some of the group working on the articles #armLGBT http://yfrog.com/9d28gtj
Lara_Aha
first article MAmikon and Arman team http://bit.ly/cpS76O #armLGBT #armenia
mmkarmenia
oops, we were even faster, the article is ready: Mamikon from @pinkarmenia and Arman from radio Van. Enjoy it http://bit.ly/cpS76O #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
like it very much RT @pinkarmenia: the result of @mmkarmenia and Arman team work http://bit.ly/cpS76O #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
Arman and Mamikon team working #armLGBT http://yfrog.com/3ml6snqj
mmkarmenia
another post created by Janna from radio Van and Zara from WFCE http://t.co/KSKwvTU #armLGBT
Day 3: 14 November 2010
mmkarmenia
Day 3. Presention of team works. Actually 2 teams were faster and their articles were ready yesterday #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
Day 3: Media seminar on #LGBT issues in #Armenia: presentation of team-work articles #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
Arman from Radio Van is presenting his article and interpreting the comments http://bit.ly/cDkh1J #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
Mamik and Arman had a very constructive approach writing this article and reflected on the real problems in society on #tolerance #armLGBT
ditord
Presentation of results of joint work at #armLGBT first presentation by RadioVan http://goo.gl/V2l7E
Lara_Aha
172 people already read Arman's and Mamikon's post since yesterday night which shows the interest in this topic #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
"aper karogha sagh tertere gren vor menq estegh eyinq kaluboyneri het" ,- some men hanging around the hotel's swimming pool #armLGBT
ditord
@RadioVAN is asking here http://goo.gl/V2l7E Why are we more tolerant towards unfairness, but not to sexual minorities #armLGBT
ditord
comment on @mmkarmenia & @RadioVAN post http://goo.gl/V2l7E its easier to be against #armLGBT community than corrupt government officials
Lara_Aha
2nd article JEnya and Zara http://bit.ly/cw9qx9 on coming out - artagalusd #armLGBT
ditord
Zhenka / Zara's article http://goo.gl/dOrW9 is long, boring, too many figures, no specific issue is raised, but its a great start #armLGBT
mmkarmenia
I guess #armLGBT community do not have that much problems with journalists but each of them has problems in their groups
ditord
Gohar Hakobian of Aravot Daily is presenting results of 'vox pop' on the streets of Tsakhadzor. Results are funny! #armLGBT
ditord
In response to question what they think of #armLGBT, someone started complaining from lack of jobs and social problems #lol
ditord
Gohar Hakobian says Tsakhadzor ppl tolerant, because its a tourist place and they are used to seeing diverse groups #armLGBT
Lara_Aha
Gohar from Aravot and Karen from WFCE went out on the streets of Tsaxkatsor and did an opinion poll on #LGBT issues #armLGBT
ditord
can't really comment on Gohar Hakobian's article draft for Aravot Daily before it's published, interesting stuff though #armLGBT
ditord
Susan Simonian is presenting a feature article on gender change at #armLGBT workshop in tsakhadzor
ditord
Susan Simonian's feature paints a touching picture of #armLGBT minority's struggle to survive in a hostile environment. Depressing!
ditord
Susan Simonian's feature for #armLGBT woskshop has a success story. Yey! Love it!
mmkarmenia
Gayane from A1+ presented amazing video report about Ocean and her artwork #armLGBT
mmkarmenia
Lusine's real story presenting Vahe from Hetq. Another reality, another emotions and this is all about our lovely Lusine #armLGBT
ditord
Vahe's story prepared for #armLGBT workshop is rather controversial. Has lot's of good sides, but somehting bother's me about it
ditord
from mainstream journalism perspective, knowing potential negative feedback, I wouldn't publish Vahe's story as it is #armLGBT
mmkarmenia
Finalizing the seminar. Thanks to British Council for great initiative #armLGBT
unzippedblog
Thanks @Lara_Aha @mmkarmenia @ditord for excellent tweet-reporting from #armLGBT media seminar. Will sum up your tweets into a blog post.
Lara_Aha
seminar is officially over, it was an amazing experience and exceeded my expectations! i will be back with lots of energy and hope #armLGBT
unzippedblog
@Lara_Aha WOW. Well done, guys. I like what I am reading :) #armLGBT
Posts
1 comment:
To be honest, I think the British Council only did this because of the criticism re. their support for Radio Van. Nevertheless, it's good that they realized something needed to be done.
However, it's astounding that when it comes to Radio Van that old saying is still as true as ever. A leopard never changes its spots. Still, I think it's pretty clear now what they're about.
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