GLENDALE—Five ANCA Glendale interns – Sevag Alexanian, Alique Berberian, Tatevik Manucharyan, Pauline Pechakjian, and Gevork Terzyan and eight ANCA Western Region interns – Vahe Assarian, Christine Feghali, Shahan Goenjian, Aram Hovasapyan, Zara Hovasapyan, Erik Khzmalyan, Maria Martirosyan, and Janet Shamilian, toured the Horizon Studio and the Asbarez newsrooms on July 2, 2012 met the newspaper staff, and attended a lecture by Ara Khachatourian, the English language editor of the paper.
The visit was one of the numerous workshops and lectures the interns will participate in as a part of their summer internship program.
“The ANCA intern visit to Asbarez has become a much-anticipated tradition for us,” said Asbarez English Editor Ara Khachatourian. “This year’s class of interns, once again, demonstrated that the new generation is capable and willing to carry the torch of the Armenian Cause with renewed vigor and commitment.”
Upon arrival, the interns were introduced to the newspaper and television staff. As a welcoming gift, each of them received the first copy of Asbarez, printed on August 14, 1908 in their original headquarters in Fresno, California.
Khachatourian then proceeded to take the interns into the Horizon studio, where he spoke to them about the fundamentals of running an Armenian newspaper in the United States.
Khachatourian has been the English editor of Asbarez for the past 20 years – a period which has given him much insight and expertise in organizing and reporting news to the Armenian-American community. He has been a part of major historical events, covering breaking news from the liberation of Artsakh and the independence of Armenia, to the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.252.
Khachatourian emphasized the longevity of Asbarez as a 104-year-old newspaper and its evolution from a community newspaper into one which covers events in Armenia and the Diaspora around the world.
“Learning about the history of Asbarez and its ever-growing role in informing our community and the world about major Armenian issues was an unforgettable experience,” said Tatevik Manucharyan, an ANCA Glendale intern.
The lecture was followed by a Q&A session during which the interns inquired about a variety of topics including methods of gathering information for publication, how the role of the paper has shifted throughout the years and if the newspaper or its sister publications in Armenia have ever been subjected to state censorship, amongst others issues.
“The visit to Asbarez was a very valuable experience as it gave me the opportunity to learn about the legacy of the newspaper. I learned that through Asbarez’s efforts, news is promptly relayed around the world, linking the Armenian Diaspora and the homeland,” said Alique Berberian, an ANCA Glendale intern.
The workshop ended with the interns being treated to a traditional Armenian lunch provided by the Armenian Cultural Foundation of Hollywood.
ANCA Glendale Interns Sound Off on Visit to Asbarez
EDITOR’S NOTE: After visiting the Asbarez and Horizon headquarters, all five ANCA Glendale Chapter interns sent emails to Asbarez English Editor Ara Khachatourian. In the emails the interns discussed what they took away from the visit. Below are their perspectives:
Hello Mr. Ara Khachatourian,
My name is Gevork Terzyan, intern at ANCA. I would like to thank you for your time on Tuesday. You were great in helping us visualize and better understand Asbarez and all the work that is put into it’s publishing, editing, and printing. Also, this experience helped me understand that Asbarez not only has Armenian viewers across the world, but is also read by Non-Armenian politicians, and many others interested in the Armenian community. I was intrigued by the fact that Nancy Pelosi, our 60th Speaker of the House of Representatives, was another follower of Asbarez. Throughout the entire tour, one thing was made clear to me: the Armenian Community will only get stronger, and with more participation from the youth, it will prosper.
Thank You,
Gevork Terzyan
Dear Mr. Khachatourian,
Thank you very much for introducing us to the work and legacy of the Asbarez Newspaper. I really enjoyed learning about the history of the paper and its transformation from a community newspaper to one which covers events in Armenia and the diaspora around the world.
It was also very interesting to learn how Asbarez serves as a source of information for non-Armenian organizations and government entities that want to become familiar with the current Armenian realities. I am grateful for the opportunity to write articles for a newspaper that has such an important role in our community.
Thank you again for a very informative lecture and a wonderful afternoon at Asbarez.
All the best,
Tatevik Manucharyan
Dear Mr. Kachatourian,
I would like to thank you for your presentation to us interns this past Tuesday at the Asbarez/Horizon office. Your newspaper plays a pivotal role in the Armenian American community and I am grateful for having the opportunity to witness the work that goes into it firsthand. I find it amazing that you have been so committed to your role at Asbarez for the past twenty years, and I can honestly say that you are inspiring to all of us. Your talk was a reminder that not only must I stay true and dedicated to the Armenian cause as a young adult, but I must instill the same sense of priority and commitment throughout my entire life to ensure the preservation of our culture. I understand that it is our duty as active youth to uphold the same ideals as all of our predecessors, wether it may be five, ten, or even fifty years from now. Also, I would like to give much thanks for the copy of the first ever paper published by Asbarez in 1908. As I read through the paper I really gained an understanding of the longevity of Asbarez and all the hard work, sweat, and tears that have gone in to preserve its existence. I will always cherish that gift, as it is an example of how much the Armenian American community has grown and how it still continues to evolve. Thank you so much for your presentation and your willingness to speak and teach all of us interns.
Sincerely,
Pauline Pechakjian
Hello Mr. Khatchatourian,
Thank you for making the time for us to come and visit the Asbarez newsroom as well as the horizon studios. It’s so intriguing to see how big the studio looks on television whereas in actuality its a quite comfortable size. It was very interesting to hear how Asbarez adapted over time to the needs of the people and how it eventually grew to be one the largest Armenian-English newspapers. In the world that we live in today adaptation is key, so it’s great to see that Asbarez has been able to do so, and will be doing so in the future. I liked the point that you brought up about criticism and constructive criticism. I too agree that there should be a time and place for both, especially if you will benefit from it. After this workshop, I was more aware of how news travels around and how you get the leads from various different sources all around the world. Thank you once again for this informative session.
Yours truly,
Sevag Alexanian
Hi Mr. Khachatourian,
I am a Glendale ANCA Intern and I am emailing you in regards to the lecture/discussion you presented to us on Tuesday morning in addition to the tour of the Asbarez building. I’d like to start by thanking you for your time and for sharing your knowledge and experiences with us. I enjoyed listening to you speak very much.
I was inspired by the history of Asbarez and the legacy it holds as a newspaper that has been in print for over 100 years. I hope to become involved with the publication of Asbarez some day, whether it be reporting, editing or working on other necessary aspects of its publication.
Thank you again, and I look forward to seeing you soon.
Sincerely,
Alique Berberian
