Public Television of Armenia CJSC

Logo of Public Television of Armenia CJSC

Armenia Public Television CJSC was founded on July 30, 2001, by the Republic of Armenia. According to the Law of the Republic of Armenia On Audiovisual Media, the Public Broadcaster is defined as a broadcaster that is 100% owned by the Republic of Armenia.


Armenia Public Television operates four broadcast channels and one digital platform. The First Channel is the flagship program, broadcasting cultural, entertainment, educational, and political content produced by Public Television. It is available throughout Armenia.


The First News Channel began broadcasting in June 2021, initially serving only the Yerevan area. Following amendments to the On Audiovisual Media law on May 22, 2024, the capital-area coverage slot was replaced with a national coverage slot, and since June 9, 2024, the channel has been available throughout Armenia.


The First International Channel provides worldwide coverage, broadcasting programs for Armenians living abroad, including Beside Armenia, Diary of a Returnee, and Neruj 5.0. The fourth program, First Channel America, operates as a subsidiary registered in the United States, targeting Armenians in North and South America. The channel broadcasts on the Spectrum network.


Since March 1, 2024, Armenia Public Television also operates the New Channel program on YouTube and social media platforms, intended for younger audiences.


Armenia Public Television established the First Channel Media Academy foundation, led by Hrachuhi Utmazian, which provides free educational programs in media.


The director of Armenia Public Television CJSC is Hovhannes Movsisyan. According to the company's charter, no board of directors is formed. Current operations are managed by the director, who, under the Law on Joint-Stock Companies, manages the company's property and financial resources, concludes transactions on behalf of the company, represents the company, signs contracts including employment agreements, issues orders and instructions within his authority, and supervises their implementation.


The Public Broadcaster Council (PBC) serves as the representative of the Republic of Armenia, approving the statutes of public broadcasters and ensuring and supervising their management. PBC members are appointed competitively by the Prime Minister, who selects the Council's chairman by secret ballot from among the members.


The chairman of the PBC is Vasak Darbinian, elected to this position on June 2, 2025. He was appointed as a PBC member in October 2021 by the Prime Minister.


Public broadcasters have legally mandated obligations, including ensuring diversity in informational, educational, cultural, and entertainment programs, developing and implementing program policies, providing programming representing the interests of different regions of Armenia, national minorities, various social strata and groups, and programs aimed at overcoming stereotypes based on national, racial, religious, gender, age, disability, personal, or other social characteristics. The law states that public broadcasters are guided by the principles of objectivity, democracy, impartiality, diversity, and pluralism, and ensure the right to express opinions, freedom of conscience, thought, and belief, as well as creative freedom.


The main source of financial resources for Armenia Public Television CJSC is the state budget of the Republic of Armenia. The company also has a subsidiary providing advertising services for programs owned by the CJSC, serving as an additional source of income. It also provides certain services for profit-making purposes.


Several individuals working at the television company and its programs have previously held positions in government structures. Before his current appointment, director Hovhannes Movsisyan served as director of the Public Relations and Information Center under the Office of the Prime Minister. Deputy director and chief producer Tigran Virabyan previously served as deputy mayor of Yerevan. Head producer of political programs Petros Ghazaryan is married to Zhanna Andreasyan, Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports.


The television company faces criticism from opposition figures regarding editorial balance. Critics argue that guests on its programs are predominantly representatives of the ruling Civil Contract party. In response, the company states that opposition representatives are also invited for interviews but often decline to appear.

Key Facts

Business FormState-funded
Legal FormClosed Joint-Stock Company
Business SectorsInclusion in and Broadcasting of TV Programs

Ownership

Individual Owner

Media Outlets

Other Media Outlets

Other TV Outlets

First International Channel (Missing data) (International)
First Channel America (Missing data) (USA)

Facts

Other Media Businesses

Advertising Agency 

  • "Nork Advertising Agency" LLC (100%)

  • "Media House Armenia" LLC (50%)

Services

  • "Telefamily" Charitable Foundation (100%)

Education

  • "First Channel Media Academy" Foundation (100%)

 

Other International Businesses
  • First Channel America Stock Corporation (100%)
Founding Year2001
Founder
  • Republic of Armenia

    The Republic of Armenia holds stakes in several media companies: Armenia Public Television CJSC, Armenia Public Radio CJSC, Spiritual and Cultural Public Television CJSC, and Armenpress State News Agency CJSC.

    Armenia Public Radio and Television were founded during the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, when media was strictly controlled by the state. After Armenia's independence, the radio and television remained state-owned under different organizational structures. The main source of income for these companies is the state budget, with annual funding provided to support operations. The companies are not restricted from obtaining financial resources from other sources and generate additional funding through advertising and service provision.

    The Republic of Armenia manages Public Television and Radio through the Public Broadcaster Council (PBC). The Law On Audiovisual Media defines a public broadcaster as a broadcaster owned 100% by the Republic of Armenia. The PBC serves as the authorized body for public broadcasters, approving their statutes, ensuring their management, and supervising their operations. PBC members are appointed competitively by the Prime Minister, and the chairman is elected from among the members by secret ballot.

Employees585
Contact26 Hovsepyan Street
Yerevan
Armenia
pr@1tv.am, ceooffice@1tv.am
+374 10 650015
www.1tv.am
Tax / ID NumberCJSC Tax ID: 01540062 State Register of Legal Entities of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia
RevenueAMD 6,954,162,000 / USD 17,707,233 (2024)
Operating ProfitAMD -222,388,000 / USD -566,262 (2024)
Advertising (in % of total funding)AMD 757,909,000 / USD 1,929,847, 10.9% of total revenue (2024)
Executive Board
  • Ara Shirinyan

    Ara Shirinyan was appointed a member of the Public Broadcaster Council in May 2025 by decision of the Prime Minister. He previously served as chairman of the same body from 2019 to 2025.

    Shirinyan worked at Public Television of Armenia (formerly State Television of Armenia) from 1982 to 1996. Between 2004 and 2018, he was employed at Shoghakat TV, part of Spiritual-Cultural Public Television CJSC.

    His connection with the current government is reflected in several instances. In 2014, Shirinyan joined the Board of Trustees of the Civil Contract Return Fund. The Board of Trustees oversaw the spending of donations made to the Civil Contract party and operated independently from the management board.

    Shirinyan's daughter, Anahit Shirinyan, currently works at the Office of the Security Council of Armenia as head of the office.

  • Aram Sukiasyan

    Aram Sukiasyan was appointed a member of the Public Broadcaster Council in 2021 by decision of the Prime Minister.

    He previously served as deputy director of the H. Paronyan State Musical Comedy Theater and as artistic director of the Armenian State Philharmonic. He also worked at Public Television's Ararat cultural channel as chief producer.

    From 2011 to 2018, Sukiasyan worked at Yerevan Municipality, first as an advisor to the mayor and later as deputy mayor overseeing culture, education, and sports.

  • Varuzhan Olkinyan

    Varuzhan Olkinyan was appointed a member of the Public Broadcaster Council in October 2021 by decision of the Prime Minister.

    He worked at Armenian National Radio (1971-1980), Armenpress News Agency (1978-1980), and Armenian National Television (1980-1998). In 2006, he was awarded the title of Honored Journalist of Armenia.

  • Arpi Voskanyan

    Arpi Voskanian was appointed a member of the Public Broadcaster Council by decision of the Prime Minister. She is an author and journalist who has collaborated with various periodicals, including Hayastani Hanrapetutyun, Grakan Tert, Nor-Dar, Garun, Hraparak, and Haykakan Zhamanak.

    From 2005 to 2017, Voskanian translated feature and documentary films for Public Television and the Ararat TV channel, also working in literary translation. Since 2011, she has served as editor of the literary website Groghutsav.

     

  • Irina Shakhnazaryan

    Irina Shakhnazaryan was appointed a member of the Public Broadcaster Council in August 2024 by decision of the Prime Minister. She has primarily worked in the field of arts. According to the Public Broadcaster Council's website, she has conducted research and taught courses at the State Academy of Fine Arts of Armenia.

  • Vasak Darbinian

    Vasak Darbinian was elected chairman of the Public Broadcaster Council on June 2, 2025, having been appointed as a PBC member by the Prime Minister in October 2021.

    Darbinian has worked in the media sector since 1982, beginning at the weekly newspaper Yerevan University. He has worked as a journalist and chief editor at periodicals including Hayk, 02, Tert, Aravot, Zhamanak, Taregir, and Ayb-Fe. He held editorial positions in television, including editor of the Public Television program Haylur (1998-1999), author and editor of Day's Press on Armenia TV (1999-2000), and author and editor of A1+ Press on A1+ TV. He worked as a press expert at the Committee for the Protection of Freedom of Speech (2014-2015).

    Before his appointment to the Public Broadcaster Council, Darbinian worked as a proofreader at Armenian Time (2016-2021), a media outlet associated with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Both Pashinyan and his wife Anna Hakobyan worked at this outlet, with Hakobyan serving as editor. Currently, 70% of the shares of the company managing Armenian Time belong to Anna Hakobyan's mother.

Headlines
Active Transparency
company/channel informs proactively and comprehensively about its ownership, data is constantly updated and easily verifiable
Meta Data

Information about Public Television of Armenia CJSC is primarily available on the First Channel's website, which publishes annual reports regarding the company's programs, financial resources, and staff. The necessary information is generally accessible in public sources.

In response to an inquiry addressed to the company, Public Television of Armenia CJSC reported employing 585 staff members in permanent positions and 229 individuals under civil contracts as service providers.

Financial data conversion: 1 USD = 392.73 AMD (2024 average rate, Central Bank of Armenia).

In the annual financial report published by Public Television of Armenia CJSC, revenue from advertising is not specified separately; instead, the report presents combined profit from both advertising and sponsorship.

Sources
Documents (PDF)
  • Public TV Company of Armenia CJSC profile (Armenian)
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  • Public TV Company of Armenia CJSC Beneficial ownership declaration (Armenian)
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  • Public TV Company of Armenia CJSC CEO (Armenian)
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  • Public TV Company of Armenia CJSC charter (Armenian)
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  • Public TV Company of Armenia CJSC financial report (Armenian)
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  • MOM request to Public TV of Armenia (Armenian)
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  • Public TV of Armenia response to MOM request (Armenian)
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  • Public TV of Armenia founding information (Russian)
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