 Cover ofAravot on December 13, 2024 | |
| Type | Daily newspaper |
|---|---|
| Editor-in-chief | Aram Abrahamyan Anna Israelyan (website editor) |
| Founded | August 2, 1994 (1994-08-02) (first issue)[1] |
| Political alignment | Liberal,[2][3] independent[4][5] |
| Language | Armenian Website available in Armenian, Russian, and English |
| Headquarters | Arshakunyats Avenue, Building 2a, 15th Floor, Yerevan,Armenia |
| Circulation | 150,293 (as of 2018) |
| Website | www |
Aravot (Armenian:«Առավոտ», "Morning") is a leading[6][7] liberal[2][3] and politically independentdaily newspaper based inYerevan,Armenia. It was founded in 1994.[8] Its editor-in-chief is Aram Abrahamyan.[2]
Sources differ on who founded the newspaper. Some hold it was the newspaper's long-time editor Aram Abrahamyan,[2] others believe it was the controversial Interior MinisterVano Siradeghyan,[9] while still others refer to a general "editorial staff".[10] Its first issue was published on August 2, 1994. At the time its editor-in-chief was Ignat Mamyan.[1] Aram Abrahamyan replaced him in December 1994.[11]
| Year | Circulation |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 60,000 |
| 2003 | 107,000 |
| 2018 | 150,293 |
Sources generally agree thatAravot was supportive of PresidentLevon Ter-Petrosyan (1991-1998) and his liberal partyPan-Armenian National Movement (HHSh),[12][13][6] although it gave space to different points of view.[12] Abrahamyan denied that he was close to Ter-Petrosyan and his government in a 2004 interview and added: "Go and ask the former government what they think aboutAravot. You'll realize that their attitude is anything but positive."[9]
The newspaper was highly critical of the government of PresidentRobert Kocharyan (1998-2008).[6][14] During the2003 presidential electionAravot "allocated 37% of its coverage to the incumbent President Kocharyan, with an overwhelmingly negative tone."[15]
Following the deadly2008 presidential election protests,Aravot was prevented by security forces from being published according to a March 1state of emergency decree signed by outgoing President Kocharyan.[16][17][18] It was not until March 21[19] when thede factomedia blackout was lifted along with the state of emergency thatAravot resumed publication.[20] In addition, the newspaper's website (aravot.am) was blocked during that period.[19][21]
Aravot has been critical of PresidentSerzh Sargsyan, who came to power in the disputed 2008 election.[22]
During the2013 presidential election, the newspaper's editor-in-chief Aram Abrahamyan publicly endorsed the liberal former Prime MinisterHrant Bagratyan, but stated that it's only his personal opinion and not that of the newspaper.[23]
In a 2014 interview, Abrahamyan stated that the newspaper's ultimate goal is to create a "mild and tolerant" atmosphere in the Armenian society.[24]
According to a research conducted in October–November 2014 by the Yerevan-based Region Research Center, in their reporting,Aravot.am had the second highest number of negative descriptions of Russia at 40%, but also the highest in terms of positive descriptions at 19%.[25]
According to a 2012 study,Aravot was the "more neutral and objective" of all Armenian newspapers.[10]
Military analyst Vahram Mirakyan praisedAravot for being more balanced in their articles about theArmenian Army than other independent or opposition newspapers. Although the majority of articles were negative in their content, they were largely devoid of "libels" and had more neutral and positive articles than the other newspaper monitored in the study.[26]
In 2014,Raffi Hovannisian praisedAravot for its professionalism and unbiased reporting.[11]
In 2005, Liana Sayadyan ofHetq Online wrote thatAravot is not an independent newspaper since it was established by former Interior Minister Vano Siradeghyan. She also suggested that Abrahamyan "does not hide his admiration for the former government. Hence, Aravot has not been independent from the start, and Vano Siradeghyan himself confessed on more than one occasion that by publishingAravot he hoped to reestablish the popularity" of HHSh.[27]
1994 թվականին՝ ուղիղ 20 տարի առաջ, օգոստոսի երկուսին՝ հրապարակախոս Իգնատ Մամյանի խմբագրությամբ հրատարակվեց «Առավոտ» օրաթերթի 0` նախահամարը:
Abrahamyan champions liberal views, as does Aravot.
Ազատական համարում ունեցող «Առավոտ» օրաթերթի...
...the independent Aravot daily...
...the independent daily Aravot...
...then President Levon Ter-Petrosian, whom "Aravot" has always supported. The liberal daily has never forgiven Kocharian and his allies for forcing Ter-Petrosian to step down in February 1998.
Հետազոտական խմբի կողմից նախնական մոնիտորինգի և մի շարք փորձագիտական գնահատականների հիման վրա հայաստանյան տպագիր մամուլից որպես «իշխանամետ»-«ընդդիմադիր» տարբաժանման մեջ առավել չեզոք կամ օբյեկտիվ օրաթերթ առանձնացվել է «Առավոտը»:
Aravot is issued daily on 16 pages of A3 format. Politically, it is close to the Armenian National Movement. Aravot often publishes critical articles, but also gives space to different points of view. The circulation of Aravot is reported to be 6,000.
...Aravot (official before 1998, opposition thereafter)...
The Aravot daily, for example, allocated 37% of its coverage to the incumbent, with an overwhelmingly negative tone.
...one of the most popular newspapers, Aravot, did not appear yesterday. The issue was banned by the security services after it was sent to the printer's.
The publication of newspapers - "Aravot", "Haykakan Zhamanak", "Taregir", "Pakagits", "Hraparak", "Zhamanak-Yerevan", "Chorrord Ishkhanutyun" stopped after the RA President's Decree of March 1, announcing a state of emergency in Yerevan. Access to the websites of the mentioned newspapers was also blocked.
Aram Abramian, the editor in chief of the "Aravot" independent daily, told RFE/RL's Armenian Service that the Tigran Mets publishing house refused to print the March 14 edition of the newspaper after hastily commissioned censors objected to coverage of a press conference held by opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrossian.
Several other online news publications, including A1+, Haikakan Zhamanak, and Aravot, were blocked by internet service providers on the orders of the security services. During the state of emergency all pro-opposition newspapers were banned from publishing, after they went through prescreening by security service representatives at the publishing houses. [...] Although media restrictions were lifted on March 13, security service representatives continued interfering with the opposition newspapers' printing, allowing them to publish only on March 21.
....several opposition newspapers (Zhoghovurd, Hraparak, Aravot...
I am going to cast my vote for Hrant Bagratyan...
«Առավոտ» օրաթերթում նույնպես գերակշռում են բանակի մասին բացասական երանգավորում ունեցող հոդվածները, սակայն այստեղ, ի տարբերություն «Հրապարակ»-ի, բավական շատ են նաև դրական և չեզոք երանգավորումով հոդվածները, և «Առավոտ-ի» ընթերցողների մեջ բանակի մասին բացասական սոցիալական դիրքորոշումների ձևավորման հավանականությունն անհամեմատ ավելի փոքր է, քան «Հրապարակ»-ի պարագայում: