<p>Present Armenian media system overview is provided. To make it understandable for non-Armenian readers historical context is given, highlighting conflicts with neighbours: 1915 Turkish genocide and old intermittent war with Azerbaijan due the Nagorno-Karabaj territorial sovereignty. Peaceful social mobilization, the 2018 Velvet revolution, and its positive impact on democracy, also its progressive deterioration and how it affects the media is addressed. Methodology: 13 key informants in-depth interviews, half-dozen experts semiestructured interviews, discourses explored with content analysis using Hall&Mancini dimensions, field work carried out in Yerevan (2023). Main findings: there is no editorial independence because media are not economically self-sustainable (small and poor market), the government controls the public media (hand-picking is commonplace) and also part of the private sector (through the broadcasting licensing system and economic suffocation), most opposition media are owned by previous authorities and oligarchs, in short: media are used as means of power.</p><p>Also: there is plurality, albeit with high polarisation; there is no systematic censorship and there is freedom of expression, but defamation fines reinforce self-censorship; very few media are independent, exits a correlation between independent media and quality content. Internet freedom is high but also generates misinformation. Still, there is hope because there is professionalism in the media sector, it is foreseeable that if the economic situation improves, the media will become more independent and will be able to contribute to strengthening democracy.</p><p> </p>