Factor TV is one of the most followed independent online media outlets in Armenia, garnering millions of views and reaching over 400 thousand subscribers just on YouTube. Here is the story of how they got their start and how they managed to build a loyal viewer base in Armenia.
Arevik Sahakyan
As we speak in their tech-savvy newsroom office in Yerevan, the Executive Director, Arevik Sahakyan, reflects on their humble beginnings. “The coverage of civil society on public television was quite poor 10 years ago,” she says. “We thought it would be great to launch a media outlet where members of civil society can present their ideas.”
Factor started out as an NGO in 2016 with a mission to launch the operation of an independent, impartial, and reliable media platform. Its goal was to provide quality information and serve as a space for civil society actors to debate, discuss, and promote democratic development in the country. The Prague Civil Society Centre first started supporting Factor in 2018 and helped to finalise the transition into a media outlet.
The television station began its journalistic career with investigative cases on corruption in public offices. They uncovered schemes that certain public officials used to help their relatives escape the country’s mandatory military service and investigated the corruption related to procurement in the Yerevan municipality. “After these two stories, we became very popular very quickly, it was like a bomb. Everyone was quoting us,” Arevik shares.
The team was initially small, and Arevik was not only working as the Editor-in-Chief, but also as the publisher, editor, and finance manager. “There were only eight people on our team, including the cleaner. Some days, I was too busy to sleep,” she adds, laughing. Factor TV became a leading news source during the 2018 Velvet Revolution, during which peaceful protests led to the ousting of the previous semi-autocratic government. “I’m very proud that even though we were just eight months old, we were able to stream live events 24/7,” she continues, pointing out that their journalistic presence would sometimes discourage the police from acting violently towards the protesters.
Nowadays, Factor produces diverse content, from live broadcasting from hot spots to studio interviews, talk shows, news blocs, and documentaries. However, it’s still committed to holding those in power accountable for their actions. “We truly believe that media must be watchdogs — it’s our main mission,” says the director, adding that even though a democratic government has been elected, the outlet still puts it under the same scrutiny as the previous one. “There is a big polarisation in Armenian society, related mainly to the government’s policies, especially during the Nagorno-Karabakh war. Being critical towards the government doesn’t automatically mean you’re anti-democratic,” Arevik explains.
Among the challenges that media in Armenia face, Arevik lists a very small media market and a lack of separation between politics, business, and media ownership. “We have to be selective in our commercial activities. Paid advertisement can easily become an instrument of pressure. We cannot take any money that would compromise our editorial independence,” the journalist explains.
The Prague Centre has supported Factor TV in developing a monetisation strategy, helping the outlet generate income through advertising. It has also provided ongoing core funding to support Factor’s operations.
The team currently consists of 19 staff members, including a news anchor, video editors, camera crew, financial staff, and management. Their programmes reach millions of viewers across their website and various channels on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. “We don’t publish any entertainment content or sports. We cover human rights, investigations — it’s not very ‘sexy’ content. And yet, we keep a big audience — I believe that’s because people simply appreciate the quality of our work,” the Editor-in-Chief comments.
And what are Factor TV’s plans for the upcoming months? The outlet is preparing for the coverage and fact-checking of the growing campaign of disinformation during the upcoming Armenian parliamentary elections in June 2026. “These elections are crucial for Armenia and our geopolitical situation. I think it will be a tough time,” Arevik concludes.