RFE/RL's ARMENIAN SERVICE

In Brief

• Language: Armenian
• Coverage: Five hours a day, including news, analysis, roundtables, and talk shows
• Frequency: FM, Satellite

History

• Established in 1953, as part of Radio Liberty's broadcasting to the Soviet Union.
• Began broadcasting on FM in post-Soviet Armenia in 1998.
• Launched its online presence in 2001, with one of the country's most popular news websites.

Highlights

• Round-the-clock coverage of Armenia's 2008 election and the ensuing crisis, which left dozens dead and injured.
• During the crisis, the government blocked the Armenian Service's website, which throughout the crisis received nearly 1.5 million page views.
• Recognized in 2003 by an independent local media watchdog for providing the best coverage of that year's presidential and parliamentary elections.