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Church TV channel may be shut down in Armenia

21 October 2025 16:16 (UTC +04:00)

The “Shoghakat” television channel of the church in Armenia may be shut down, APA reports, citing Joxovurd.

According to the report, a draft amendment to the “Law on Audiovisual Media” is being prepared in Armenia. According to the draft, the number of television channels with public broadcasting status may be reduced from 3 to 2. Among these channels is the church-owned “Shoghakat” channel, and the co-author of the draft, Taqui Kazaryan, has not ruled out the closure of the channel.

Kazaryan stated that for several years the state has been funding this television channel without holding any competitions. It is believed that the funds can be used more efficiently: “I think these funds could be spent on commissioning programs with relevant content through competitions, in which ‘Shoghakat’ can also participate.”

He did not find convincing the arguments of opposition representative Lilit Galstyan, who claimed that the church covers half of the channel's funding, and accused “Shoghakat” of covering opposition marches and rallies.