In Mowgli, a Soviet cartoon, there is the following part – the mother cobra who has been under ground since time immemorial asks the wild animals what is up in town. Once those who go on vacation at least for two weeks, as I have, come back, they ask roughly the same question. Something has really changed in our city; Baghramyan Street has been completely asphalted. It looks very beautiful. Although I am not sure that it was worth repairing the
central streets, which were in a more or less good shape, perhaps, the same money should have been spent on the streets that have been worn-down for 25 years. For example, yesterday, I passed by Hrazdan Gorge, where the streets remind of the streets in Stalingrad shown in the movies about the war.
In other respects, it seems there are no substantial changes. The first, the second and the third presidents’ supporters continue propagandizing their bosses, running the rival teams down along with that. It is a pity that the sports and the so far unsuccessful performance of our sportsmen at the Olympic Games have become a subject of that skirmish, which has been dull for a long time already. I support neither the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), nor the second president who is the actual founder of that party. However, firstly the Olympics are not over yet and after they are over, the analysis should be professional, not political. Secondly our sportsmen represent not a certain party, but our whole country – one should be proud of their successes and one shouldn’t gloat over their failures.
The Armenian journalism has not changed for the better in two weeks either. Question, “Is it right that your husband has died?” Answer, “Oh dear, what are you talking about?” Question, “Do you feel bad that I ask this question?” As you see, the journalist’s subsequent question is more professional than the previous one and generally, that dialogue should take its well-earned place in the journalism books. The recipe for an interesting article is obvious – one sits before a computer and decides to write sensational news, for example, “According to the reliable information gotten from circles close to Y, X Y slaughtered 40 people yesterday. During a conversation with our journalist, Y absolutely denied that news. The police haven’t confirmed the information either.” However, the “trick” of that article is that you partially confirm the nonsense you have made up in the heading Has Y Slaughtered 40 People?
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I have decided not to lag behind the latest trends of the modern journalism and have chosen a respective heading for my notes.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
