The declared aim of the board is to supervise these agencies' transformation into commercial enterprises, albeit with the State retaining controlling interest in the near term. In June three employees of Noyan Tapan news agency were summoned to the Ministry of Interior and National Security and pressured unsuccessfully over several hours to reveal the source of information for an article containing details of confidential negotiating documents regarding Nagorno Karabakh. The editor of Yerevanyan Orer was seriously beaten by unidentified attackers in March after refusing to delete a newspaper article from the computer. The two most widely visible television channels belong to state television, and tend to present a positive view of officials and their activities. However, television coverage of opposition protests of the Government's Karabakh policy from October through December demonstrated some tendency toward greater balance.
Most radio stations are now private.
The opening of more nongovernmental television and radio outlets has encouraged greater freedom of expression and somewhat broader news coverage. There are now 6 independent radio stations and 8 independent television stations operating in Yerevan, and 1 independent radio and 13 independent television stations in the regions. Opposition parties and politicians received adequate news coverage and access on these channels. Legislation has not yet been passed to regulate the current arbitrary and nontransparent process of license issuance, although at year's end a draft broadcasting law on this subject was circulating in the legislature. The few international newspapers and magazines imported are not censored.