MEDIA IN UZBEKISTAN: YET MORE MOBILE, INTERACTIVE, AND BETTER!

Uzbekistan has been attaching special importance to freedom of expression and information, and transformation of media into a platform for people to openly express their thoughts and attitudes to current events. The republic is creating all the conditions needed for the development of the media and support for its representatives.

The role of nongovernmental television and radio channels, print and online media in bringing the essence of the ongoing reforms in Uzbekistan, the value of the progress and borders that have been achieved, the value of the current peaceful and happy life to the public with the focus on the younger generation. The role and place of the electronic media was noted in the ‘Concept of enhancing democratic reforms and building the civil society in the country’, which was put forward by President Islam Karimov and approved by the Parliament. Their further development is defined as one of the priorities of reformation of the information sector.

As emphasized by the state leader in his congratulatory message to the print and media workers, "from the very first days of independence our country has been consistently pursuing a policy of continuous enhancement of the role of media in society and their effective performance, strengthening of the legal and logistical capacity of media structures, promotion of social status and prestige of the journalist profession.

Uzbekistan has been paying a particular attention to the creation of equal conditions for the development of the governmental and nongovernmental media in the country’s information space. This is evidenced by the fact that the government budget has allocated about 14 billion soums in the form of loans, social orders and state grants in recent years alone to support the electronic and print media.”

The promotion of the development of domestic electronic mass media in the international community, the exchange of experience between national and international experts in the field, development of recommendations and proposals for further promising areas of their development have been the key objectives of the Media Days in August. They were organized by the National Association of Electronic Mass Media, the Parliamentary Commission for Management of Assets of the Public Fund for Support of NGOs and Other Civil Society Institutions, the Public Fund for Support and Development of Independent Print Media and News Agencies, the OSCE Project Coordinator in Uzbekistan, the Regional Office of Konrad Adenauer Foundation for Central Asia, UNESCO and UNICEF offices in Uzbekistan, Embassy of France, the Czech Republic in our country, and other partners.

The agenda included a scaled media camp Navqiron Jurnalistlar (Promising Journalists). The event took place in a picturesque part of Urgut district, in Chor Chinor health complex, as well as on the bases of STV Channel (Samarkand) and Bunyodkor TV complex in Tashkent under the slogan "Yet More Mobile, Interactive, and Better!" "Modern trends in the formation of a new generation of journalists, and prospects for expanding young audiences: the focus on multimedia journalism’ was the subject of the media camp.

The media camp brought together 200 representatives of central and regional television and radio stations. It included about 25 training seminars and workshops with the participation of international experts from France, Germany, Russia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and other countries, wh ere during seven days the participants advanced their skills, got acquainted with the latest trends in production and distribution of media content, and discussed relevant issues of further development of the information sector.

The diversity of topics at workshops and trainings covered standards of professional journalism, application of new technologies in the production of talk shows, creative social ads dedicated to the Year of Mother and Child Health, the latest trends in TV design, methods of building content in radio news programs, innovations in presenting news, and others.

“I was surprised at how strongly the guys I was lucky to work with expressed their desire to learn and how active they were at practical classes,” shared the department head at SONY Russia Dmitry Bunevich. “I am impressed by the level of proficiency of the Uzbek operators.”

“I was impressed by communication with the young people in the media camp," said the Head of the European Commission Country Office for Bulgaria, an expert on the media development in South-East Europe, Ognian Zlatev. “Young TV journalists of Uzbekistan are always interested in global trends in the sector, they are well informed. I tried to expand their knowledge of journalistic standards. For example, it is inappropriate to quickly comment on the event without checking the source first, and making sure in its credibility. All the participants grasped all I was saying. They have excellent prospects.”

“The classes in the media camp were held for a week in a picturesque corner of the Samarkand region,” said the head of public relations department of the UNICEF Country Office for Uzbekistan Atul Kumar. “One of the trainings was conducted by UNICEF experts. I participated in the workshop on production of children’s television programs. The urge for creativity in young TV journalists, their desire to acquire new knowledge and skills impressed me greatly. I believe, by the completion of the media days they realized how to use the new knowledge to the benefit of the people, and work with children for their welfare.”

Jahon Information Agency