Fast Facts A dependable provider of independent information for nearly 60 years, RFE/RL's Armenian Service is considered trustworthy by more than 95 percent of Armenians. Language: Armenian Coverage: Five hours 40 minutes per day Established: 1953 Distribution: Radio (FM, Satellite), Internet Locations: Prague headquarters, Yerevan Staff: 6 in Prague, 18 in Yerevan, 28 stringers

Media Environment

• Freedom House Freedom of the Press Index, 2012: Not Free (149th/197)
• Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index, 2012: 77th/179
• Despite constitutional guarantees, media freedom is compromised by government control of most broadcast media. Independent and opposition journalists can face restrictions on their ability to work freely.

Highlights

• Azatutyun is a leader in video journalism in Armenia, offering live-streaming and webcasts of all major events. The station’s branded YouTube page is among the most popular nonprofit sites on YouTube, and Azatutyun video is regularly re-broadcast by other media outlets in Armenia.
• Azatutyun's YouTube site registered almost 3 million views in the first half of 2012 with an average of 500,000 views every month. As a result it is regularly listed in the top 3 most popular nonprofit YouTube channels. Videos are available on YouTube and Azatutyun's own website, and are carried by 7 local TV stations.
• In an official visit to RFE/RL’s Yerevan bureau in May 2011, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian said RFE/RL’s Armenian Service has “become an integral part of our life.” Sarkisian said, “You try to expose problems that exist in Armenia and the government tries to respond to this criticism, and this dialogue is very useful for the country.”
• Azatutyun journalists have won numerous awards for their reporting, including the 2011 “Freedom of Speech” prize awarded by the human rights NGO “Asparez;” the 2010 “Silver Microphone” from the OSCE and the British Council; and the Yerevan Press Club’s Annual Award in 2011.
• Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian met with RFE/RL President Steven Korn in March 2012.

updated: 27 June 2012

Population
3.1 million (World Bank estimate, 2011)

Most Common Languages:
Armenian, Russian, Yazidi Kurdish

Press Freedom Index (Freedom House):
Not Free, ranked 149 out of 197 (2012)

Press Freedom Index (RSF):
77 out of 179 (2011)

Corruption Index (Transparency Int.):
129 out of 183 (2011)

Global Peace Index (IES):
115 out of 158 (2012)

Human Rights Watch:
Report on Armenia (2012)

Amnesty International:
Armenia Report (2012)