The purpose of this concept plan is to outline the goals, issues, work principles, and mechanisms of Media.am.

What is Media.am?

Media.am, a project of Internews Media Support NGO, is a platform that covers events and developments taking place in Armenia’s news media industry, that tries to promote professional discussions about the quality of the media, and that aims to foster the development of the media industry in general.

Media.am covers news and events in the industry, monitors how the news media reports on topics of public interest and how reporters work in conflict zones, in emergency situations, and during elections, what mistakes they make in carrying out their professional activities, and what successes they achieve.

We endeavor to portray the mechanisms of news production and consumption, the media industry’s written and unwritten rules, examples from international practice, the transformation of the tools of media, and to facilitate conversations on the condition, issues, challenges, changes, successes, developments and trends of Armenia’s media today — through analysis, criticism and interviews with authoritative and influential people in media.

Media.am aims also to develop media literacy, delivering to media consumers the media industry’s written and unwritten rules, working principles and methods of media manipulation. We believe that mass media producers have to assist news consumers (viewers, listeners and readers) to approach media products critically, to differentiate reliable, unmediated news from news that’s been manipulated or distorted.

Our website is an open, professional platform for media industry players to become aware of professional advancement and training opportunities in Armenia and abroad, as well as a place to express themselves and to become familiar with their colleagues’ opinions in order to take into consideration their criticism in their future work.

The rapid pace of disseminating mass information sometimes doesn’t allow news outlets to seriously  evaluate the quality of their work. We hope that due to Media.am’s work, news outlets and journalists will have the opportunity to take a deep breath, evaluate their work with a critical eye, notice omissions, and strengthen the foundations of success.

How We Work

We cover the work of news outlets and journalists, and media industry news, developments and trends; we analyze Armenia’s media industry, trying to fostor, stimulate, and cultivate discussions about the issues, successes, tasks and mandates of the industry. Media.am faciliates conversations about media not only online (through the site), but also offline, at regular meetings of the Lradadar (which roughly translates to “media ceasefire”) media club.

We incorporate all the tools of journalism, from traditional articles to multimedia pieces (including audio, video, caricatures, infographics).

Media.am is a platform for both analyzing and expressing subjective opinions, which aims to heal and stimulate the media industry.  Our website is an open platform for journalists, analysts, and media managers, as well as news media consumers, who have their say and vision regarding the work of the media. We respect any view if its bearer has framed his remarks with a clear, well-grounded, creative approach within ethical norms and has placed it for open discussion (in the form of an article, comment or video message).

Media.am authors are people who have formulated, grounded, clear opinions and remarks about media’s role and impact. They are influential journalists, editors, scientists, and intellectuals, as well as concerned citizens, novice journalists and those aware of the regularities that shape the virtual space. Information about the authors are available on the site so that readers know whose opinion or analysis they’re reading.

In accordance with the strategy of the website, the editorial team and the invited authors might have different positions on different issues; however, Media.am, with its small team of media professionals, bears responsibility for any errors, inaccuracies, and flaws in the articles.

Media.am takes into account the public interest first when it points out the errors and omissions of journalists or news outlets or criticizes a media organization’s product or tactics.

We crticize, being prepared to be subjected to criticism ourselves — critics are also media people. Media.am is ready to present the views of all stakeholders in any debates on a controversial issue. The editorial team places importance on the human and professional dignity of a person.

We expect journalists and news outlets to maintain journalism ethical norms and rules as much as possible. We are also fastidious when it comes to our own work and adopt the principles of the Internews Media Support NGO’s Code of Ethics for Journalists.

In Media.am you can find:

• News and events about Armenia’s news media industry
• Media analysis, interviews with media professionals on the topic of the media, and posts by news media consumers
• Translations of content of interest to media professionals republished from authoritative websites and publications
• Internet and IT trends
• Opportunities for improvement for journalists

Who’s our Audience?

A portion of Media.am’s audience is journalists and media managers — we discuss with them how to improve the quality of Armenia’s news media industry. We strive to broaden also the other important portion of our audience, news media consumers. We endeavor to develop their ability to understand the social, cultural, and political subtext in media and to perceive, analyze, and assess the media product.

We urge editors and journalists to collaborate with us. Those that Media.am has gathered, media producers and analysts, pursue one goal — to be part of a more knowledgeable and informed public.