Journalists argued a lot about Q&A of Prime Minister-journalists in Gyumri. If we leave aside the emotional and traditional for the Armenian media “skirmishes” (we are brave – you are coward, we are independent – you are corrupt, we are for the people – you are against the people) then we must first of all state that the matter is not only about the journalists working in Gyumri, the same problems imply to the journalists working in Armenia, including me. (Prime Minister’s reaction to journalists’ questions was definitely wrong. The second figure of the party who is participating in the parliamentary elections and has a pretension to become the first figure of the country and is a political figure, the latter cannot “moan out” on journalists irrespective of what questions are raised. However, it is a subject for another conversation).
And so, I recommend thinking on the following subject. Is the question that begins with “Don’t you think that” a journalistic question? Is it a question in general or a speech, an estimation, often a reproach that is formulated in the form of a question? The smart official can answer, “Yes, I think so,” “No, I do not think so”. I also sometimes ask such questions, and it is wrong.
Another problem. If I do not have the time or am not in mood to prepare myself to attend this-or-that meeting with the official to ask questions about his sphere, including his flaws and oversights, then I have approximately the following question in my “drawer”: “how long these poor people are going to suffer in your hand?” Here too we can say that this is not actually a question but a remark, a sigh, a complaint which, nevertheless, sounds extremely “popular”. Of course, if the official is walking along the street, people will ask him just this question but a more fundamental and more “radical” question is expected from us, the journalists. Again I admit that at times I also ask “popular” questions to officials for which people meeting me on the street applaud me. But this is not correct, you must always find time to prepare more serious questions.
Now, in this pre-election phase, the “sighs” about “poor people”, emigration, poverty and the rest will be very topical. This is the work of politicians because they eventually are fighting for the votes of the electorates. However, it seems to me that our task as journalists as well as the experts’ and the researchers’ is different. In my opinion, we should present the public the patterns and mechanisms which make this repeatedly reported situation possible. Or, quit the journalism and join the politics.
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