RFI Armenian-language service brings new opportunities for journalism students

Students at Yerevan State University’s Faculty of Journalism met with RFI Director Jean-Marc Four and representatives of the editorial team of RFI’s Armenian-language service, which is bringing new opportunities for Armenian students.

During the meeting, the RFI director presented the platform and its opportunities to the students, noting that each of them could become a journalist for the Armenian-language service.

“We are currently trying to develop our activities at Yerevan State University in two directions. The first is to explain our activities, what we are planning to do and what kind of news coverage we are trying to provide. The second goal is that today, being at Yerevan State University’s Faculty of Journalism, we want to present students with the idea of independent journalism. And if they want to work with us, we will be very happy. The RFI Armenian-language service is new. Some of its journalists are based in France and some in Armenia. We have been working in Armenian for four months, but we already have significant progress, with around 5 million views,” Jean-Marc Four said.

He noted that RFI now offers 100% digital news content in Armenian adapted to social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube), with the aim of informing people about and telling stories about Armenia through young people and for young people who actively use digital platforms and are heavily exposed to disinformation.

“The RFI Armenian-language service offers entertainment, interactive and educational videos and formats, including explanatory materials, stories, fact-checking, digital polls, infographics, street interviews and more. Through these formats, it covers current events in Armenia, as well as important regional, European and international topics.

The RFI Armenian-language editorial team relies on a network of correspondents based in Armenia, particularly in Yerevan, as well as cooperation with local partners. Through independent, verified and locally gathered information, the RFI Armenian-language service contributes to the fight against information manipulation,” Jean-Marc Four said.

Anahit Menemshyan, Deputy Dean and Head of the Office at YSU’s Faculty of Journalism, noted that the proposal to meet with the students came from RFI. As part of the meeting, in addition to presenting the platform, Astrig Agopian, Editor-in-Chief of RFI’s Armenian-language service, and journalist Mariam Tovmasyan gave a lecture to the students on “How Journalists Work in the Era of 100% Digital Media.”

“We are always happy to agree to any international cooperation. We organized this meeting, and today our students have the opportunity to hear how this important French international media group views the digital era, get to know them, learn about their activities and, why not, have the opportunity to work as correspondents for the Armenian-language service,” Menemshyan said.

In addition to French, RFI provides content in 17 languages, including Armenian. The RFI Armenian-language service operates as part of the Information Shield project, initiated by France Médias Monde and Deutsche Welle and supported by the European Union.

The editorial team also draws on the expertise of France Médias Monde teams specializing in fact-checking and digital investigations, particularly RFI’s “InfoVérif” team and France 24’s “Les Observateurs” program.