Armenian president congratulates US-Armenia TV on first anniversary
By
This week the president of Armenia, Serge Sargsian, and Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians, marked the first anniversary of US-Armenia TV, the newest and most far-reaching Armenian global media venture. "The might of our people lies in our unity and collective strength," Mr. Sargsian said. "In my opinion, US-Armenia can now take an active role in promoting unity and strengthening the Armenian community."
With praise and commendations for Gerard L. Cafesjian's vision to create a professional, global media network that reaches Armenians everywhere, Mr. Sargsian said US-Armenia is now a unique, dedicated bridge between the Diaspora, Armenia, and Artsakh.
"US-Armenia TV strengthens our ties to one another, tightens our cultural ties, and acts as an agent of cultural preservation," the Armenian president said. "US-Armenia TV also creates and maintains an Armenian cultural environment inside each and every one of the thousands of Armenian households it serves."
Cafesjian's response
In response to the president's commendations, Mr. Cafesjian, who is chairperson of the board and co-owner of CS Media, reiterated his commitment to his vision of creating a broadcast medium that functions as a link between Armenia and the Diaspora and between Armenians living anywhere in the world.
"I gratefully acknowledge President Sargsian and His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, for their welcome and support," said Mr. Cafesjian. "All of us involved in CS Media are enormously proud that US-Armenia TV is the largest broadcasting platform for multilingual Armenian entertainment, culture, and information."
One year ago US-Armenia TV became the first 24-hour, international Armenian network to broadcast on free, terrestrial (antenna) TV in the United States. Its sister station, Armenia TV, has been on the air throughout Armenia and Karabakh since 1999.
"The CS Media family of Armenian-focused broadcast stations and print publications are the most watched and most read of their land in the world," said Mr. Cafesjian. "It is most gratifying to know that US-Armenia TV has made so much progress in such a short span."
Reaching far-flung communities
In addition to US-Armenia TV's terrestrial signal, viewers in North America – including Canada – have free access to the network via the Globecast World TV satellite service. Viewers throughout Europe, Russia, the Middle East, as well as North Africa can access the channel on the Hotbird satellite.
Several dozen times a day, US-Armenia TV employees in Burbank, California, field calls from viewers all around the world. Viewers from Paris and London, Istanbul and Aleppo, the Netherlands and Ukraine, Yerevan and Glendale, and Toronto and Vancouver call to participate in call-in shows or share information about their communities.
One community leader from Spain contacted US-Armenia TV News this week requesting that Genocide-commemoration events be publicized so that all Spanish-Armenians would know to attend.
The buzz created about this new media venture has attracted heads of mainstream media conglomerates. Upon touring the CS Media facilities in Yerevan last year, top executives of one of the world's biggest media corporations told the Wall Street Journal that the CS Media operation was one of the best in all of Eastern Europe. The accolades come hand in hand with Republic of Armenia tax records indicating that CS Media is the country's highest tax-paying media company.
"We are mindful of our special privilege and responsibility as managers of the [news and entertainment] source for our far-flung Diaspora and our evolving and dynamic ancestral homeland," said Mr. Cafesjian. "Thank you very much for marking this milestone with us. Bagrat [Sargsyan] and I assure you that the best is yet to come."
Dreams realized
US-Armenia TV is headquartered in Burbank, in the heart of the media district, from where mainstream Hollywood media content – motion pictures, television series, music, animation, video and Internet games – is exported. Across the street from Disney, ABC, and NBC, the mid-rise US-Armenia TV complex is the western anchor of CS Media City in Yerevan.
The large financial investments and the vast network of antenna, cable, satellite, and Internet portals were created by CS Media to fulfill Mr. Cafesjian's vision for a professional, global Armenian media network – a network rooted in his desire to help Armenia and the Armenian people survive.
Mr. Cafesjian has said he feels strongly that if, for any reason, Armenia no longer existed, in effect the Genocide would be complete. He believes it would only be a couple of generations before the Armenian community – through dissipation, intermarriage, and the loss of a strong, central identity – becomes a footnote of history. For Mr. Cafesjian, it is of utmost importance that Armenia – the homeland – survive.
To ensure his philanthropic efforts are fully utilized in Armenia, Mr. Cafesjian created the Cafesjian Family Foundation (CFF) in 1996, after his retirement from West Publishing. The twin goals identified for CFF were to help bolster relations between the United States and Armenia and to work on strengthening the Republic of Armenia, primarily through economic development.
With praise and commendations for Gerard L. Cafesjian's vision to create a professional, global media network that reaches Armenians everywhere, Mr. Sargsian said US-Armenia is now a unique, dedicated bridge between the Diaspora, Armenia, and Artsakh.
"US-Armenia TV strengthens our ties to one another, tightens our cultural ties, and acts as an agent of cultural preservation," the Armenian president said. "US-Armenia TV also creates and maintains an Armenian cultural environment inside each and every one of the thousands of Armenian households it serves."
Cafesjian's response
In response to the president's commendations, Mr. Cafesjian, who is chairperson of the board and co-owner of CS Media, reiterated his commitment to his vision of creating a broadcast medium that functions as a link between Armenia and the Diaspora and between Armenians living anywhere in the world.
"I gratefully acknowledge President Sargsian and His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, for their welcome and support," said Mr. Cafesjian. "All of us involved in CS Media are enormously proud that US-Armenia TV is the largest broadcasting platform for multilingual Armenian entertainment, culture, and information."
One year ago US-Armenia TV became the first 24-hour, international Armenian network to broadcast on free, terrestrial (antenna) TV in the United States. Its sister station, Armenia TV, has been on the air throughout Armenia and Karabakh since 1999.
"The CS Media family of Armenian-focused broadcast stations and print publications are the most watched and most read of their land in the world," said Mr. Cafesjian. "It is most gratifying to know that US-Armenia TV has made so much progress in such a short span."
Reaching far-flung communities
In addition to US-Armenia TV's terrestrial signal, viewers in North America – including Canada – have free access to the network via the Globecast World TV satellite service. Viewers throughout Europe, Russia, the Middle East, as well as North Africa can access the channel on the Hotbird satellite.
Several dozen times a day, US-Armenia TV employees in Burbank, California, field calls from viewers all around the world. Viewers from Paris and London, Istanbul and Aleppo, the Netherlands and Ukraine, Yerevan and Glendale, and Toronto and Vancouver call to participate in call-in shows or share information about their communities.
One community leader from Spain contacted US-Armenia TV News this week requesting that Genocide-commemoration events be publicized so that all Spanish-Armenians would know to attend.
The buzz created about this new media venture has attracted heads of mainstream media conglomerates. Upon touring the CS Media facilities in Yerevan last year, top executives of one of the world's biggest media corporations told the Wall Street Journal that the CS Media operation was one of the best in all of Eastern Europe. The accolades come hand in hand with Republic of Armenia tax records indicating that CS Media is the country's highest tax-paying media company.
"We are mindful of our special privilege and responsibility as managers of the [news and entertainment] source for our far-flung Diaspora and our evolving and dynamic ancestral homeland," said Mr. Cafesjian. "Thank you very much for marking this milestone with us. Bagrat [Sargsyan] and I assure you that the best is yet to come."
Dreams realized
US-Armenia TV is headquartered in Burbank, in the heart of the media district, from where mainstream Hollywood media content – motion pictures, television series, music, animation, video and Internet games – is exported. Across the street from Disney, ABC, and NBC, the mid-rise US-Armenia TV complex is the western anchor of CS Media City in Yerevan.
The large financial investments and the vast network of antenna, cable, satellite, and Internet portals were created by CS Media to fulfill Mr. Cafesjian's vision for a professional, global Armenian media network – a network rooted in his desire to help Armenia and the Armenian people survive.
Mr. Cafesjian has said he feels strongly that if, for any reason, Armenia no longer existed, in effect the Genocide would be complete. He believes it would only be a couple of generations before the Armenian community – through dissipation, intermarriage, and the loss of a strong, central identity – becomes a footnote of history. For Mr. Cafesjian, it is of utmost importance that Armenia – the homeland – survive.
To ensure his philanthropic efforts are fully utilized in Armenia, Mr. Cafesjian created the Cafesjian Family Foundation (CFF) in 1996, after his retirement from West Publishing. The twin goals identified for CFF were to help bolster relations between the United States and Armenia and to work on strengthening the Republic of Armenia, primarily through economic development.
