A note on categorization of Armenian Youtube channels
by Hovik Manucharyan, co-host of the Groong podcast.
As part of our monitoring of 100s of Armenian Youtube channels, we classify them into a number of categories that help understand not only the origin of the content but also perhaps the orientation of the political messaging that gets consumed.
Below, we outline our criteria for categorization to make the process more or less transparent, with understanding that the process is not error-prone. If you discover any errors or disagree with our categorization methodology, please contact us on Twitter or Facebook.
NOTE: We realize that these categories are not permanent and are working on a more durable set of categories to define the media landscape.
Suspicious
This category includes all channels that match 2 of the 3 following criteria:
- Are observed to be frequently spreading false or unverified news
- Deceive the audience by hiding the authorship/ownership of the channel
- Use liberal amounts of vulgarities and/or video content intended primarily for shock value
Examples:
Opposition (HSM)
HSM stands for Homeland Salvation Movement and we use the term today in general to describe opposition media that are generally allied with the political forces that were part of that movement.
Examples:
Opposition (Other)
Other media sources that are in opposition to the government of My Step and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan but are distinct from HSM.
Examples:
Government
Channels officially belonging to the Government of Armenia led by Nikol Pashinyan or private channels that primarily support the positions of Nikol Pashinyan and Civil Contract party.
Examples:
Neutral
Media sources that:
- Generally allow for opinions from diverse political viewpoints
- Exhibit lack of persistent editorial bias towards one political force
Examples:
Foreign Funded
There is ongoing public debate about the role of foreign funded media in Armenia and for this purpose, we also use this classification for media that verifiably receive their funding from foreign sources.
Examples:
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and do not represent the opinions of the author’s employer.
