Podcast: interview with Vahan Ishkhanian
Jul 02, 2009
This week’s Armenian Blogosphere podcast features an interview with journalist Vahan Ishkhanian about his blogs, specifically the one on Tert.am. Ishkhanian is well known around the Armenian Blogosphere. Not long ago he and his wife became the focus of much discussion and debate in blogs for publishing material’s on “Inqnagir” literary journal, claiming a prominent Armenian poet of the 20th century – Yeghishe Charents is gay. Download this 5 minute podcast or listen to it online by clicking the player icon below.
Podcast: Notes from the Armenian Blogosphere
Jun 30, 2009
Armenian blogs discussed Iran again this week, alongside the general amnesty declared by the Armenian parliament that set free a number of jailed oppositionists ahead of the PACE session. The car-crash of two key actors from highly popular “Vorogayt” show and the death of pop-superstar Michael Jackson attracted much attention, while social networks were lively with discussions about protests staged by nationalists during the visit of Georgia’s president Mikhail Sahakashvili. Download this 1.3 Mb mp3 version of the Armenian language podcast brining you the news and updates from the Armenian Blogosphere or listen to it online by clicking the player icon below. For the full English language text of the podcast read the rest of this entry.
Iranian-Armenian journalist and blogger Artin Arakelian posted photos of protests taking place in Iran at the start of the week with the comments[AM]: “Tehran has no rest for over a week now. Supporters of candidate Mir Hoseyn Musavi keep the whole city under their discretion. It’s impossible to predict what will happen next. We will have to wait and see how things develop.” Having extensively covered the developments in Iran since the start of the protests, Kornelij Glas writes[RU]: “I think this struggle has gone into the phase of pointlessness. Musavi or Rafsanjani have no capacity of undertaking radical steps, as they are also a part of the system.” Pigh, who has travelled to the south of Armenia on a business trip, has met with 12 Iranian truck drivers. “10 of those 12 were supporters of Ahmadi,” the blogger writes. “3 of them were Azerbaijanis and spoke pretty good Armenian. Much to my surprise, they had also voted for Ahmadi. It turns out they don’t like Rafsanjani there at all, nor do they like the United States. Musavi is not taken as a political figure and is mostly viewed as an attachment to Rafsanjani.” Infernoarm turns to local politics [RU]. Speaking of the general amnesty declared in the country, the blogger comments on the release of most jailed oppositionists: “Looks like they’re releasing everyone except for two – Sasun Mikayelian and Harutyun Urutian. As I don’t believe in the work of Serzhe’s [meaning president Serzh Sargsian] heart and mind, I’d speculate, that they’re just doing this because of being pressured heard.” On the same issue, opposition activist Bekaisa writes “We are all imprisoned until all are free ! Freedom to everyone ! We gonna fight till each single political prisoner will be released !!!!” “The general amnesty is good for election fraudsters too,” Reporter_Arm reports[AM] “Two of them were convicted on June 16th, and thanks to the amnesty, they were already released. Today, one more of them was convicted and released as well.” “Kapan, like the rest of Armenia, discusses the death of two key actors from “Vorogait” show,” writing back from the south, Pigh says. Meanwhile, there is a wealth of photos and short comments about the death of pop-superstar Michael Jackson. Most bloggers limit themselves to a short “RIP”, although there are occasionally posts stressing claims of Jackson’s pedophilia. Rubywedge recalls an old newspaper article, about how Jackson planned to live for 150 years and was sleeping in a special oxygen barocamera. Another topic that received much of Armenian bloggers’ criticism over the past 7 days was the decision by member of Armenian parliamentary delegation to PACE, representative of opposition party “Zharangutyun” Zarouhi Postanjian to enlist the backing of Azerbaijani and Turkish colleagues for her calls for the Council of Europe to demand the release of all Armenian opposition members remaining in prison. Kornelij Glas comments on this: “It’s bad for Azerbaijanis, because they’ve signed under a call to free heroes of Karabakh war. It’s bad for Armenians, because the document looses its strength and becomes grotesque, and the signature of Azerbaijanis turns it into a politically biased statement.” The scoop before the weekend was the breaking by police forces of the attempts staged in support of Armenians living in Georgian region of Javakheti during the Georgian president Mikhail Sahakashvili’s visit to Armenia. Facebook and Twitter users actively circulated a YouTube video showing Giro Manoian, a top leader from Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) party arguing with the police. The irony noted mostly by the supporters of the main opposition – Armenian National Congress, lies in the fact, that not long ago Dashnaktsutyun was part of the coalition government. [youtube=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRPqtdAM_i0&feature=player_embedded”]
Podcast: Armenian Blogs Divided on Amnesty
Jun 19, 2009
The National Assembly of Armenia adopted a decision on announcing amnesty on Friday. The initiative, put forward by the President’s administration, is primarily seen as a move to ease political tension in the society and release 56 opposition supporters charged in connection with post-election violence in Yerevan in March 2008. Armenian blogs paid a due share of interest to the Amnesty issue. Most were interested in the fashion it was done, rather than the fact of amnesty itself, saying the move was only undertaken because of the upcoming PACE session which will very likely again discuss the functioning of democratic institutions in Armenia. Formerly, there had been 6 cases of amnesty in Armenia – in 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2006. This episode of the Armenian Blogosphere podcast brings views and comments from top Armenian bloggers on Amnesty and related developments. Download the 1.1 Mb mp3 file of the podcast from here or listen to it online by clicking the player icon below.
Podcast: Interview with Hrant Ter-Abrahamian
Jun 12, 2009
The Armenian Blogosphere radioprogram follows the developments between the traditional media and the blogosphere. A couple of months ago the Tert.am information website invited some known journalists, writers to blog for them. This episode of the Armenian Blogosphere program/podcast features and interview with one of the Tert.am bloggers – publicist Hrant Ter-Abrahamian about his blog. Download the 1.5 Mb mp3 file of the podcast from here or listen to it online by clicking the player icon below.
Podcast: Post-Election comments from bloggers
Jun 05, 2009
Yerevan municipal elections took place on May 31st. The preliminary results were published next morning. President Serzh Sargsian’s ruling Republican party received 47.37 percent of the vote. “Bargavach Armenia” (Prosperous Armenia) party and Armenian National Congress received enough votes to secure their place in city’s elderly council, but Armenian National Congress said they’ll boycott the Elderly council in sign of protest against vote irragularities. You can download the short, 5 minute mp3 version of the radio program/podcast from here or listen to it online by clicking the player icon below. A full Armenian language text-version of the podcast is available at E-channel.
Podcast: Yerevan elections in the Armenian blogosphere
May 29, 2009
Days before the first ever municipal elections in Yerevan several bloggers have noticed that the municipal authorities are doing major road construction works, fixing street lightes, renovating backyards. Reporter_arm has put together his notes on what the Armenian blogosphere has to say about the pre-election race, this sudden push by the authorities to finally start doing some of their responsibilities and more. You can download the short, 5 minute mp3 version of the radio program/podcast from here or listen to it online by clicking the player icon below. A full Armenian language text-version of the podcast is available at E-channel.
Podcast: Armenian bloggers don't want to spoil relations over politics
May 22, 2009
Armenian bloggers Kornelij Glas, InferoArm, Ditord and Reporter_Arm met at the studio of “Armenian Blogosphere” radio program / podcast at “Internews” to discuss the municipal elections in Yerevan slated on May 31st. You can download the short, 5 minute mp3 version of the radio program/podcast from here or listen to it online by clicking the player icon below. A longer version of the discussion will soon be available on this blog as well. A text-version of the discussion is available at E-channel.
Podcast: the 'emergency' week in the Armenian blogosphere
May 14, 2009
“What’s burning? Is it at Nairit? Can’t see very well”, these were there questions asked at 18:55 on Dabavogr’s blog, minutes after the first deadly explosion at Nairit Chemical factory’s rubber production plant in Yerevan, which left 4 dead, 8 seriously wounded. Minutes after Shur posted a photo of the thick column of smoke, made from central Yerevan, the buzz was out in the Armenian blogosphere. This 46th episode of the Armenian Blogosphere podcast brings reactions of the Armenian blogosphere and Twitterers, to the emergency in Yerevan. Download the 1.3 Mb mp3 file, or listen to it online by clicking the player icon below. The podcast also features an interview with blogger Ogostos on the new initiative of the Armenian authorities aimed at collecting data on cases of misinformation and falsifications of facts related to Armenia and Armenians from the internet and various other open sources of information.
Podcast: from Webby Awards to Inga & Anush blog
May 08, 2009
The 45th episode of the Armenian Blogosphere podcast is now available for download.
This week’s podcast features the results of the 13th annual Webby awards – the Oscars for the Internet. Find out who won.
The podcast also features an interview with Ani Karamian, the member of Inga&Anush PR team, who operates the official Inga and Anush Arshakian’s blog. The sisters will represent Armenia at Eurovision international music contest in Moscow next week.
The Obamameter, Armenians, Turks and blogs
Apr 30, 2009
As President Barack Obama’s 100 days in office went by the American analysts tried to find out how many of US President’s 514 campaign promises had been fulfilled, making use of the famous Obameter. Turns out Obama has fulfilled 27 of his campaign promises, broken 6, took a comprimise decision about 7 of them.
It seems only natural, that the Armenians around the world and the Armenian bloggers around the internet, were more interested in Obama’s one single campaign promise – to use the word “genocide” in his traditional April 24 address as Armenians around the world mark Armenian Genocide anniversary. “Leave Obama alon,” Zloyan calls. “Armenians around the world have embarked on the mission of badmouthing Obama. I want to inform dear Armenians around the world – Obama is not your president, so stop making demands. Better think about why your very own leaders, thinkers and petty analysts were telling you lies only to back down from them and blame it all on others,” the blog goes on: “OK, let’s say there was a slight chance [of Obama naming the “genocide” world], little as it was. BUT TO THINK ABOUT IT AFTER WHAT HAPPENED ON APRIL 23rd is simply idiotic.” “You didn’t say it after all…,” Chemarina writes. “In the case of the ‘roadmap’ I was sure, that our politicians were plain stupid, as I’ve become assured that grey strategic matter is viturally nonexistent in our state-fathers. As to Obama – I’ll wait a little before giving way to anger. At any rate ‘Meds Yeghern’ was interesting!” “ARF-Dashnaktsutyun is at it again, but nobody’s interested in its games anymore…” Tsiranyan writes on the subject of recent Armenia – Turkey negotiations and Dashnaktsutyun’s uncompromising reaction to it and announcements about abandoning Armenia’s ruling political coalition. “There was much talk of Armenia – Turkey announcement today. Various political forces, ranking from nationalists to total spineless ones made comments about it. ARF’s ‘anger’ was of special interest. It said it’ll consider abandoning coalition. Sadly, though, it’s too late now. Nobody care’s about you anymore” Tsiranian warns.
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This week’s Armenian Blogosphere podcast features an interview with journalist Vahan Ishkhanian about his blogs, specifically the one on 
The Armenian Blogosphere radioprogram follows the developments between the traditional media and the blogosphere.
Yerevan municipal elections took place on May 31st. The preliminary results were published next morning. President Serzh Sargsian’s ruling Republican party received 47.37 percent of the vote. “Bargavach Armenia” (Prosperous Armenia) party and Armenian National Congress received enough votes to secure their place in city’s elderly council, but Armenian National Congress said they’ll boycott the Elderly council in sign of protest against vote irragularities.
“What’s burning? Is it at Nairit? Can’t see very well”, these were there questions asked at 18:55 on 
The 45th episode of the Armenian Blogosphere podcast is now available for 
As President Barack Obama’s 100 days in office went by the American analysts tried to find out how many of US President’s 514 campaign promises had been fulfilled, making use of the famous 
It seems only natural, that the Armenians around the world and the Armenian bloggers around the internet, were more interested in Obama’s one single campaign promise – to use the word “genocide” in his traditional April 24 address as Armenians around the world mark Armenian Genocide anniversary.
