A series of panel discussions with international and local journalists and thought leaders will discuss challenges facing the media industry today.
May 28
Narrative Journalism
11 a.m.: What happens when journalists immerse themselves inside a story? Can they assign meaning to complex situations and help readers develop a better understanding of events? Can narrative journalism have the capacity to provide a meaningful context to news events and situations at a time when the 24-hour news cycle has been hijacked by social media platforms?
(English language with simultaneous Armenian translation)
Moderator: Lara Setrakian, Co-founder of News Deeply
Panelists:
– Raffi Khatchadourian, The New Yorker
– Rimvydas Valatka, DELFI
– Howard Amos, The Moscow Times
– Ara Tadevosyan, Mediamax
Disruptive Culture: Beyond Tech
1 p.m.: We live in transformative times. Never before has it been so easy or quick to turn an idea into a real business. Start-ups in Armenia’s tech industry are rising up to challenge the status quo across many other industries. Disruption requires ingenuity and vision—traits we often associate with start-ups—and more importantly, a mindset, a culture and a value system that can impact more broadly, cutting across different industries and social strata.
(English language with simultaneous Armenian translation)
Moderator: Njdeh Satourian, EVN Report
Panelists:
– Davit Bagdassarian, Krisp
– Arik Akverdian, VCV
– Nerses Ohanyan, HyeTech
– Hovhannes Kuloghlyan, Groksmith
War Reporting
4 p.m.: Is it possible to be a neutral observer when the war is happening in your country? How do journalists prepare to go to the frontline to cover a war? Were Armenian journalists prepared for the challenges and obstacles of reporting on the 2020 Artsakh War? What about physical safety?
(English language with simultaneous Armenian translation)
Moderator: Roubina Margossian, EVN Report
Panelists
– Augustinas Šulija, Lithuanian National Broadcaster LRT
– Vardan Hovhannisyan, Bars Media
– Laurence Cornet, Le Monde
– Angela Frangyan, filmmaker
– Vaghinak Ghazaryan, Photojournalist
May 29
Et Cetera: Cultural Narratives
11 a.m.: As the world grapples with tectonic geopolitical and technological shifts, the role of cultural commentary in shaping collective understandings of the present, in the age of fake news, Instagram influencers and YouTube algorithms, appears more vital than ever. And yet, the tangible decline of critical reflection on culture in 21st century mass media is an irrefutable fact. What impact does this dearth of intellectually-challenging writing in the wider social space have on rapidly changing societal relations and structures? How do we view the endangered relevance of cultural criticism and recalibrate its functions to address the profound civilizational ruptures in our time?
(Armenian language with simultaneous English translation).
Moderator: Vigen Galstyan, EVN Report
Panelists:
– Tigran Amiryan, Literary critic, theoretician
– Nazeli Ohanyan, “Vernatun” cultural radio program host, Armenian Public Radio
– Nune Hakhverdyan, Cultural critic, media.am
– Shoghakat Mlké-Galstian, AGBU Creative Accelerator Program
Political Narratives
1 p.m.: At a time of deep divisions and intractable conflicts, how do journalists help society move beyond political demagoguery and cliches to discover deeper truths? How do we help readers leave their filter bubbles and consider new ideas? By losing the public’s trust, have journalists created an opening for misinformation and propaganda?
(English language with simultaneous Armenian translation)
Moderator: Maria Titizian, EVN Report
Panelists:
– Hwaida Saad, The New York Times
– Dr. Nerses Kopalyan, UNLV
– Anneke Hudalla, N’ost
– Indrė Makaraitytė, Lithuanian Public TV
Editor’s Panel
4 p.m.: A group of editors representing independent media outlets in Armenia discuss the challenges and opportunities of functioning in an ever-changing, fluid and unstable environment.
(Armenian language with simultaneous English translation).
Moderator: Maria Titizian, EVN Report
Panelists:
– Karen Harutyunyan, Civilnet
– Ara Tadevosyan, Mediamax
– Liana Sayadyan, Hetq
– Gegham Vardanyan, Media.am