Freelance journalist Vahé Ter Minassian has been working for many years with leading French media (Le Monde, Libération, France Arménie, and others).

Born in France, the French write tries not to miss any important events after visiting Armenia for the first time in 1992. During elections and political transformations, he is always in Armenia. The reason for his visit this year was coverage of events dedicated to the centenary of the Armenian Genocide. 

In Armenia, print newspapers for the most part have stopped publishing. Do they continue to play a major role in France?

In France too, print media is in deep crisis. One of the reasons of course is the development of the internet, while the other is that the number of free dailies that are distributed to people in the metro or on the street increased in France.

Compared to the UK, French daily papers make up a very small percentage. Though there’s a crisis in the UK as well, but, for example, The Guardian has a circulation of one million, while the most popular French newspaper, Le Monde, sells barely 300,000 copies. 

The approaches are different, and these are structural differences. In France, the number of newspapers sold is not enough; many newspapers are sold only in stores, mainly financial [papers].  

Can we say that the French-Armenian press has built certain bridges between Armenia and France?

If you want to know if ordinary French citizens read France Arménie, Nouvelles d’Arménie, or other Armenian papers, then I can honestly say, no. 

But the officials read them. For instance, MPs, senators, ministers… And when elections are approaching, candidates of major political parties begin to vigorously read the French-Armenian press to understand the community’s preferences. When [French President] François Hollande recently came to Armenia, the editors and managers of French-Armenian newspapers also came with him. 

Many French journalists are interested in Armenia and Turkey, and when working on their stories, they always make use of French-Armenian newspapers. And in this case, we — French-Armenian journalists — are the source. 

We’re not very familiar with the French-Armenian press.

Until recently, we would send at least one copy of [all the] Armenian newspapers to Armenia; we had our correspondents and even offices in Armenia. Now that’s not the case.

Many papers don’t have English versions. Perhaps this too hinders recognition. In general, it’s hard to imagine French news media sites paying attention to English.  

And when Armenia’s media becomes a source for you, do you trust the information the journalist found or do you also take into account the given media’s ulterior motives and the owners’ connections?

Is the newspaper independent and what does it mean to be independent? The question is who is funding this independence. Of course we see that there are papers that publish with one aim; say, they write articles against one person or put forth the ideas of a singular group of people.  

And the local Armenian journalist has to live and work in this confusing situation. And if a person living abroad holds the strings to understand this situation in his hand, he will be able to understand a great deal about Armenia. 

Of course I don’t know about all those strings, but when I’m going to cite local Armenian media, I try to understand. 

In France, is there a need to hold these strings in your hand?

Of course, but it’s wrong to compare, since France is a much larger country than Armenia, and journalists are protected from corporations’ interests.

Many diasporan Armenians say I’m a journalist first and only then an Armenian. Does the issue of identity get mixed with professional duties? 

I think that’s a foolish thing to say. Every journalist has his point of view and writes about his observed and evaluated reality. We are people — in our entirety and our issues. 

Recently I was in Uganda, and aiming to write a piece on agricultural issues, I reached distant, remote villages, where there is much poverty. And though agricultural issues are the same in countries all over the world, I understood that I was asking people questions that I wouldn’t have asked if I hadn’t been to Armenia. 

Thus, I am never faced with the dilemma of being or not being Armenian. I am what I am: I live in France; I speak French better than Armenian; and I am interested in Armenia. I am very much interested. 

Armenia placed the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at the center of international media attention. It seems this interest is already waning — is it possible to keep it burning?

Let’s take French journalists as an example: in the second half of April 24, they were already considering completely different topics a priority (for example, the war in Ukraine, the earthquake in Nepal). International information flows very quickly and just as quickly disappears.  

You might laugh, but I consider the most valuable news story that which was tied to Kim Kardashian’s visit. 

French President Hollande also came. 

Who pays attention to Hollande when there’s Kim Kardashian?

What’s important is that represented is not only the genocide or the remarks of the [Armenian Apostolic] Church, but also Armenia as a country. Many didn’t even know where Armenia is or how people live here. Then, thanks to Kim Kardashian, they became interested and found out. I believe the generated interest is more long-lasting than you think.   

As a journalist who covered the Armenian Genocide centenary events, are you pleased with the organizational work?

Generally, I’m pleased, but I was very surprised that we were unable to attend a few important events. It was suggested to us to watch the live events happening near the genocide monument on a screen.

And it turned out that we, as journalists, had nothing to do. 

Perhaps there were reasons for these restrictions, but I had come to work — not to watch television. At least I was able to approach and ask questions to people of interest during several banquets. But I couldn’t write about what happened near the monument. 

I always need to see everything with my own eyes, and if they’re going to show it on television, then better that I sit at home and watch it on television. 

Aren’t there events with restricted access for journalists in France?

It’s possible, yes. Say, meetings behind closed doors, private funerals… but the event taking place near the genocide monument was not among these. 

You’re a freelance journalist. Is it easy to make arrangements with editors and get commissioned pieces?

No, of course. Usually, if a journalist is not familiar [to editors], they won’t accept his stories. I, for example, received an offer to collaborate with Le Monde through my colleague. In terms of money too, being a freelancer is not profitable. 

Are you going to write about Armenia in Le Monde?

If Le Monde wants to write a story about Armenia, it definitely won’t commission me because it’s impossible to see articles by freelance journalists in the paper’s international section. International news is covered only by the newspaper’s staff journalists. 

What topics do you cover?

I write mainly about science — from physics to chimpanzees. I follow environmental issues. I might write about Yerevan Physics Institute’s new product, the accelerator, which I consider a very important step. 

Do you get complete information from official sources in Armenia? Mostly we’re displeased with their vague answers. 

Of course they provide some information, but I think there are topics that are hard to understand if you don’t have a good nose for them. In that case, it’s better to be on the ground, to talk and connect with people. Sometimes understanding the logic of some news event or another happening in Armenia is very difficult.

It’s difficult for us too.

I assume that if you go abroad, you’ll grasp more easily what’s happening than I do in Armenia. 

Even with such a cornucopia of news websites?

I can say that news websites are more and in a better situation in Armenia than in France. Of course, there are serious news media sites in France, but we complain that they’re few. 

Purely in terms of the ability to write, we can compare local Armenian and French journalists. How many minutes do you need to teach someone to write? I think, ten. Then either a journalist will work or won’t. French journalists aren’t better than journalists in Armenia.

Interview by Nune Hakhverdyan.