View source for Asbarez

{{Short description|Newspaper in Los Angeles, California}}
{{See also|List of newspapers in California}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox newspaper
| name                 = Asbarez
| logo                 = File:Asbarez logo.png
| image                = Image:Asbarez-issue-one.jpg
| caption              = The first issue of ''Asbarez''
| type                 = [[Daily newspaper]] 
| format               = 
| owners               = 
| founder              = 
| publisher            = 
| president            = 
| editor               = Ara Khachatourian (English)<br />Apo Boghikian (Armenian)
| chiefeditor          = 
| assoceditor          = 
| maneditor            = 
| generalmanager       =
| newseditor           = 
| managingeditordesign = 
| campuseditor         = 
| campuschief          = 
| metroeditor          =
| metrochief           =
| opeditor             = 
| sportseditor         = 
| photoeditor          = 
| staff                = 
| foundation           = 1908
| political            = 
| language             = [[Armenian language|Armenian]], [[American English]]
| headquarters         = 1203 N Vermont Ave, [[Little Armenia, Los Angeles]], CA 90029 USA
| publishing_city      = [[Los Angeles]]
| publishing_country   = United States
| oclc                 = 3973991
| ISSN                 = 0004-4229
| circulation          = 
| circulation_date     = 
| website              = {{URL|http://asbarez.com/}}
}}

'''''Asbarez''''' ({{langx|hy|Ասպարէզ}} "Arena") is an [[Armenian-American]] bilingual daily [[newspaper]] published in [[Armenian language|Armenian]] and [[English language|English]] in [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], [[California]].

It was the official newspaper [[Armenian Revolutionary Federation]] newspaper for the [[Western United States]] until a 2020 [[schism]] in the Central Committee of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation in the Western United States.<ref name=":7"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=ARF Western United States of America celebrates organization's 131st anniversary |url=https://www.arfd.am/eng/news/8103/ |access-date=January 27, 2025 |website=www.arfd.am |date=April 5, 2022 |language=en-US |archive-date=5 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405082714/https://www.arfd.am/eng/news/8103/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

== History ==
=== Fresno ===
In 1907, several [[Fresno, California]] residents — Aslan Aslanian, Bedros Hagopian, Levon Hagopian, Hovaness Kabadayan, Abraham Seklemian, Arpaxat Setrakian and Avedis Tufenkjian — "were in unanimous agreement that such a newspaper was absolutely necessary to serve the needs of the growing immigrant community of [[California]]." After much debate, the name ''Asbarez'' ("Arena" in Armenian) was selected, and the newspaper began publication in 1908.<ref name="Asbarez">{{cite web|url=https://asbarez.com/humble-beginnings-to-a-bright-future-celebrating-95-years-in-print/|work=Asbarez|title=Humble Beginnings to a Bright Future: Celebrating 95 Years in Print|date=August 14, 2002|access-date=January 22, 2025}}</ref> An [[editorial]] in the first issue stated that "The school, the [[Armenian Apostolic Church|Church]], community organizations all have their role in satisfying the national, spiritual and social needs of the Armenian people. Equally, if not more important, is the role of the press, news and the newspaper[.]"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://asbarez.com/editorial-asbarez-continues-to-stay-true-to-its-mission/|work=Asbarez|title=Asbarez Continues to Stay True to its Mission|date= August 24, 2021|access-date=January 22, 2025}}</ref>

=== Los Angeles ===
By the 1970s, the concentration of Armenians in California shifted from the [[Central Valley (California)|Central Valley]] to [[Los Angeles County]]. Instead of creating a second newspaper in Los Angeles, those attending the [[Armenian Revolutionary Federation]] moved the ''Asbarez'' operation to Southern California in 1970 and launched a regular [[English language]] section.<ref name="About Us">{{cite web|url=https://asbarez.com/about-us/|title=About Us|access-date=January 22, 2025}}</ref> The newspaper first printed in the [[Venice, Los Angeles|Venice]] neighborhood of [[Los Angeles]] before moving to [[Glendale, California|Glendale]].<ref name="Asbarez"/>

The newspaper launched a website in 1994.<ref name="About Us"/>

The newspaper moved to [[Little Armenia, Los Angeles|Little Armenia]] in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.asbarez.com/little-armenia-journal/|work=Asbarez|title=Little Armenia Journal|date=October 3, 2008|access-date=January 22, 2025}}</ref>

==== Ownership controversy ====
In December 2020, the [[Armenian Revolutionary Federation]]'s highest body, the Bureau, appointed a new Central Committee in the Western United States, citing the limitations created by the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] as reason for the appointment without the calling of a convention.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Յայտարարութիւն Հ.Յ.Դ. Բիւրոյի |url=https://www.arfd.am/news/34728/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814032741/https://www.arfd.am/news/34728/ |archive-date=14 August 2021 |access-date=January 22, 2025 |website=www.arfd.am |language=hy-new}}</ref> In direct defiance of this official decision, a dissident group unlawfully convened its own assembly and elected a rival body, falsely claiming to represent the legitimate Central Committee of the ARF Western United States.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=Armenian Revolutionary Federation expels four U.S. members |url=https://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/290956/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318050619/https://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/290956/ |archive-date=18 March 2021 |access-date=January 22, 2025 |website=PanARMENIAN.Net}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Karapetyan |first=Mkrtich |date=2021-03-20 |title=Կոնֆլիկտ ՀՅԴ Բյուրոյի և ՀՅԴ Արևմտյան Ամերիկայի կենտրոնական կոմիտեի միջև |url=https://www.1lurer.am/hy/2021/03/20/Konflikt-HYD-Byuroyi-yev-HYD-Arevmtyan-Amerikayi-kentronakan-komitev-mijev/437601 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427235648/https://www.1lurer.am/hy/2021/03/20/Konflikt-HYD-Byuroyi-yev-HYD-Arevmtyan-Amerikayi-kentronakan-komitev-mijev/437601 |archive-date=2022-04-27 |access-date=January 22, 2025 |website=www.1lurer.am |language=hy}}</ref> The splinter group took control of the bank account and various movable and immovable properties of the Western Region, including ''Asbarez''.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":7" /> In April 2022, the newspaper ''Oragark'' was established as the new official publication of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation in the Western United States.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ARF Western United States of America celebrates organization's 131st anniversary |url=https://www.arfd.am/eng/news/8103/ |access-date=January 22, 2025 |website=www.arfd.am |date=April 5, 2022 |language=en-US |archive-date=5 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405082714/https://www.arfd.am/eng/news/8103/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
* ''[[The Armenian Weekly]]''

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.asbarez.com ''Asbarez'' Online]

{{Armenian newspapers outside of Armenia}}

[[Category:Daily newspapers published in Greater Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Armenian-American culture in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Armenian-language newspapers published in the United States]]
[[Category:Newspapers established in 1908]]
[[Category:Bilingual newspapers]]
[[Category:Newspapers published in California]]
[[Category:1908 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Non-English-language newspapers published in California]]
[[Category:Newspapers published in Greater Los Angeles]]


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