Օնիկ ջան,

Այ ապրես։Որ լավատես լինես քո ֆոտեներնել լավատես կլինեն։

Hakob,

I do not consider my work to be optimistic or pessimistic. I consider it to be objective and realistic. I also have to point out again that generally, the media prints more articles that can be termed "negative" than "positive" in the context of what we're speaking about because that's generally the reality.

So, for example, here are the top three headlines as reported in the UK section of The Independent (who I used to work for btw):

Blair admits he must win back voters' trust

Heart deaths up to seven times higher with some surgeons

Clarke to water down house-arrest plans

The point is that the media generally reports what are the concerns of society and what defines the reality for most people. Generally, in any article printed anywhere in the world looks at any problem, examines how society considers the government as a result and seeks a response to any criticism.

If not, it is propaganda and generally nothing like the reality. Of course, No10 has its spin doctors but as we know they are employed by the government and not in the media.

On the other hand, I will also write and photograph some positive events and issues if there is something interesting there. However, I repeat the fact that NOWHERE in the world has the situation improved through partisan, rose-tinted, positive-just-for-the-sake-of-being-positive pieces.

NOWHERE.

There is some scope to examine some positive efforts by NGOs and International Organizations in Armenia and what changes have emerged but at the same time, there is also a sting in the tail. For example, refurbishment of hospitals. Great, but most people don't seek access to medical care because of the system of informal payments, for example.

So, then you'd look at what int orgs are doing to address this issue. However, the problem is one that is going to take a long time to resolve and may or may not work.

I'd also argue that as most politicians even in government will admit, what changes there have been are slight. At the same time, there are also new and quite severe problems that are emerging that need attention, especially with the need to fight to ensure that the new laws that have been passed actually work.

That's how nations progress and that's the role of the media, in my opinion. In the UK it is of vital importance to engage society in debate and discussion especially in the run-up to the imminent elections and if it important there, it is of even more importance in countries like Armenia where there is very little reliable information coming out at all.

And I'll be honest. I find very little positive in spending an estimated $1.7 million on resurfacing Republic Square when the number of homeless in the city center has increased significantly. Others would allege that not all that money was spent on the job but you'll be pleased investigative journalism is not really an area that I get involved in.

If you want good news, watch Channel Armenia or Public TV. If you want realistic news and feature articles, read stuff by myself and others.

Cheers,