Comments on: Armenia: Popular News Website Closes Comments Section

By: Onnik Krikorian

Onnik Krikorian — Mon, 12 May 2008 15:54:23 +0000

It would appear that the anti-Levon comments were coordinated by a nationalist forum (I assume in the Diaspora).

http://s4.invisionfree.com/Armenian_Diaspora/ar/t3687.htm

By: nazarian

nazarian — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 01:04:34 +0000

Amazingly, things have calmed down a little bit in the comments section for the ArmeniaNow article I was following. There are not as many anti-semitic posts and the death threats against LTP and his supporters seem to have stopped (either the posters stopped or the admin is doing a better job of removing this kind of posts). Instead, there are quite a few thoughtful posts about the root causes of such anti-semitic mood among some of our compatriots.

http://www.armenianow.com/?action=viewArticle&AID=2922&lng=eng&IID=1180&CID=2867#comments

By: Blogian

Blogian — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:10:09 +0000

Nazarian, I share your concerns about the usage of anti-Semitic rhetoric against LTP. I am sure you have noticed that I wrote about it long time ago on this blog (perhaps the first one to dare to bring up that topic). I think it would be fair that you also noticed the “anti-Turkish” rhetoric against Serzh and Robert (both are often called Turks) and such as alluding that people from Karabakh are not Armenians. This speaks again to my point that Armenian needs a social-cultural revolution before real political reforms.

By: Blogian

Blogian — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:05:56 +0000

Observer, you are right that a news website doesn’t have to have comments section. But the fact is that Hetq.am did open one in the first place and shouldn’t have closed later.
I understand the budget constraints but they could recruit volunteers to moderate the comments. I, for one reason, would volunteer to be one of the moderators. The fact is that many people started commenting at Hetq. Most of the comments were personal attacks and used inappropriate language. But a moderation of that kind of heat could perhaps help people become more moderate. Some Armenian online groups do the same. They never ban members. They just won’t post their comment until the comments are on content and don’t use attacks.

By: nazarian

nazarian — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 16:54:24 +0000

I think the hate mongering has switched to ArmeniaNow articles. You should see the xenophobic, anti-semitic posts and the death threats against Levon Ter-Petrosian and the oppositionists in general.

It’s not a pleasant task to read these kind of things. I don’t know if these are a handful of disturbed yet vocal individuals or the xenophobes are widely dispersed among the Armenians. I hope it’s the former.

By: Observer

Observer — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 09:49:00 +0000

Well – I don’t think a news website really needs comments. What they could do instead – is open a blog along with the news website, where users could discuss the content of the main website, like A1plus are doing.

As to moderation – it can be a rather time consuming task, and they are always tight on budget, so don’t blame them fast.

By: Onnik Krikorian

Onnik Krikorian — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 17:34:42 +0000

BTW: And even if one can understand not being able to spare the human resources to moderate comments, deleting all previous ones — except for obscenities and personal attacks — is really not justifiable at all.

By: Onnik Krikorian

Onnik Krikorian — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 17:32:40 +0000

Despite the fact that I do not consider Hetq Online to be objective, I agree. Moderating comments is better than closing them down. Indeed, the polarization and hate has always been there, but it has reached new levels now. Allowing comments, especially in a country such as Armenia where there really is no independent media — only pro-opposition or pro-government working to varying degrees of professionalism is welcomed so that there is the opportunity to allow checks and balances to what still remains a lacking media situation.

True, even though affiliated to the ARF-D, Yerkir Media set an example in the broadcast media, and Aravot was reportedly surprisingly good considering its editor’s personal support for Ter-Petrossian, but overall, we need a blog-like approach for Internet-based sites because they simply can’t be trusted. We need transparency as well as the opportunity for open discussion and comments allow this if handled correctly. Personally, I think funders of publications such as Hetq and any other should demand it.