“Shoghakat” is a spiritual-cultural TV Company. The founder is the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church. Shoghakat is broadcast 18 hours a day on Spiritual-Cultural Public TV channel and H1 satellite TV channel. The coverage area of the TV channel within the territory of the Republic of Armenia is 90%.
The history of “Shoghakat” TV Company starts from 1995, when the TV studio of the Diocese launched its activities in one of the rooms of the Primacy of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese with a staff of three people. The initiator and founder was His Eminence Archbishop Karekin Nersissian, Vicar General of the Diocese.
In its early years, the TV studio produced spiritual-ecclesiastical programs, awareness-raising videos about the holidays, which were eagerly broadcasted by all TV companies of Armenia. The demand for spiritual-ecclesiastical programs was so great and their impact was so visible, that the TV studio started to recruit staff and get technically equipped. Five years later, it was already operating in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and was registered as “Shoghakat” TV Company.
The video materials produced by “Shoghakat” TV Company, became distinguished specifically in 2001, when Armenia celebrated the 1700th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity as a state religion.
In 2002, “Shoghakat” obtained a broadcasting license, and from November, it was already functioning as a TV Company with an 18-hour air-time per day. "Shoghakat” started broadcasting educational and cultural programs alongside its traditional ecclesiastical-spiritual programs.
The spiritual-cultural TV channel, according to its Charter, banned the advertising of alcoholic beverages, lotteries, casinos, most of which were legally licensed on Armenian TVs in those years. Within the scope of its own airing policy, local and foreign films propagating violence and horror were also prohibited.
Since 2004, “Shoghakat” TV has broadcasted its own programs on the H1 satellite TV channel due to the contract signed with the Armenian Public TV Company.
Independent Armenia saw two attempts of establishing a cultural TV channel. The third one was made in 2010, when the new Law on Television and Radio Broadcasting forced the Armenian Public TV to establish a separate spiritual-cultural TV channel. The Government of Armenia taking into consideration the experience of Shoghakat TV, offered the newly-established channel to sign a cooperation agreement. From January of 2011, “Shoghakat” TV started broadcasting on the public spiritual-cultural TV channels, and hence launched the coverage of the cultural life of Armenia.
The activities of “Shoghakat” TV company are aimed at spreading Christian values, ethics and morality, and covering the Armenian and world culture. With this mission, "Shoghakat" prepares and broadcasts multi-genre programs relating to the civilization, history, religions, nature, famous individuals, world spiritual and cultural values, publicizes the national-ecclesiastical, social and cultural events.
There are about 25 spiritual-religious, 15 cultural, 10 social and 10 educational programs, broadcasted on the “Shoghakat” air network.
“Shoghakat” TV Company gives priority to the production of documentary films about Armenian science and great artists.
Documentary, propaganda and cognitive video films have been produced according to the request of the World Bank’s Yerevan Office; World Vision Armenia; WCC Armenia Round Table Foundation; Eurasia Partnership Foundation, and other organizations.
The TV Company has always emphasized the importance of educational, cognitive programs and the spread of high-quality music on its air network, which contribute to the development of society.
Since 2011, Shoghakat has also broadcasted cultural video films produced by the European broadcasters, owing to the partnership signed by the European Culture Channel Arte.
“Shoghakat” TV broadcasts films and concerts of local and foreign production.
The TV Company is headed by the Creative Board, and the Executive Director is Mania Ghazaryan.
Address: Armenia, 0039 Yerevan, 8 St. Hayk Hovsepyan
Tel.: +374 10 42 08 11