During the year of 2008, the whole population of Gorno-Badakhshan will get access to TV Safina, and Radio Tajikistan on FM scale.

Makulsho Makulshoev, director of Khorog-3 broadcasting center informed Asia Plus correspondent that the programs of the Tajik National Radio cover the whole territory of Gorno-Badakshan Autonomous Province (GBAO). A special one-kilowatt transmitter has been installed in Khorog.

“We have got access to the satellite TV Bakhoriston, and now are intending to commence installation of a space communication station to receive and retransmit signals from the main Tajik TV and radio stations, — said Makulshoev. — Before the end of the year, we ape planning to cover about 60 percent of the population in GBAO”.

http://www.asiaplus.tj/

Isokhuja Toshkhujaev, assistant to Prosecutor of Sughd province, visiting Marufi Bobojon, editor of newspaper Anis, required him to present the original draft of an article titled “Rescue the Prosecutor”. The article was published on 14 November 2007 with a byline indicating the name of the author – Guljakhon Toshkhujaeva.

The article contained information about the author, Guljakhon Toshkhujaeva who tells the story of her family life with assistant to Prosecutor of the province, Isokhuja Toishkhujaev; the couple has two children. Guljakhon says that several years ago she was not aware that her husband-to-be had been already married. A few years later, her husband left her for another woman. According to Guljakhon, her husband is married for the third time now.

Assistant to Prosecutor received the original draft article, and promised to punish the journalists in court. Later, it turned out that he has kept his promise. On 5 December, Mukhiddin Muzaffarov, who edited the draft article, was called up by A. Goziev, a police investigator. The journalist was asked to write an explanatory note.

“I have no clue why the police is conducting the investigation, — says Muzaffarov. – I receive phone calls from Toshkhujaev who threatens to punish me for the publication”.

NANSMIT Monitoring Service

Only 18 of 74 printing outlets registered in Sughd province have reregistered.

This information is received from the Sughd province executive body.

Gulmakhmad Davlatov, head of press center at the Ministry of Culture confirmed this fact. Davlatov added that in addition to the 18 newspapers and magazines, 19 printing houses have also reregistered.

According to Davlatov, the Ministry of Culture intends to develop recommendations to the government concerning the rest of the outlets and printing facilities, which have not reregistered so far. Should the government decide to prolong the terms of registration, the Ministry will immediately inform about that. Otherwise, the newspapers and printing houses will be closed.

Provision on reregistering is based on the Resolution of the Tajik Government issued on 30 June 2007. According to this document, all printing outlets and printing shops should reregister in the Ministry of Culture.

NANSMIT Monitoring Service

International Confederation of Unions of Journalists, Eurasia Media Center, and International Academy of Television and Radio has launched The Third International Contest on best pictures, TV stories, video clips and documentaries. The contest “Eurasia – Social Portrait” is supported by UNESCO. The winners will be named on 3 May 2008.

The main goal of the contest is to consolidate efforts of journalists in the countries of Eurasia in tackling social problems in the region.

The organizers invite all professionals to take part in the contest. Before the 10 April, applicants should send their works – pictures or video materials. Applications with the mark “Contest” should be sent to the following address: “Eurasia Media Center, Moscow, Russian Federation, 119992, Zubovski Boulevard, 4. Union of Journalists of Russia.

Detailed information on the conditions of participation is available at: http://www.nansmit.tj/?page=events&id=66

NANSMIT Monitoring Service

International Finance Corporation held a round table discussion with Tajik journalists on the topic of corporative management in Central Asia.

The participants learned about the ways of proper coverage of the issues of corporative management in the media.

The IFC experts told the journalists about advanced methodologies and best practices of corporative management leading to development and strengthening business entities, attracting investments, and ensuring efficiency in decision-making.

Representatives of the leading Tajik media outlets, experts from the National Press Center and the Resource Center for Journalists took part in the discussion.

Since the issues of corporative management are becoming increasingly topical and relevant for Tajikistan, journalists are interested in learning more about the subject.

During the next two years, IFC is planning to conduct a wide-scale public awareness campaign to promote corporative management.

Note: Being a member of the World Bank Group, IFC promotes sustainable economic development in developing countries by financing of private sector, mobilization of funds in both domestic and international financial markets, providing consultative services to companies and governments on risk management. In 2007, IFC invested $8,2 billion, and mobilized additionally $3,9 billion in the form of participation in credits and structured financing in 299 projects implemented in 69 countries in transition. In 2007, IFC provided consultative services in 97 countries.

http://www.nansmit.tj/

Asadullo Rakhmonov, chairman of the TV and Radio Committee under the Tajik government told Khovar news agency about a forthcoming creation of a special vocational training institute for broadcasters.

Speaking about the activities implemented by the State TV and Radio Committee in 2007, Rakhmonov stressed that the Tajik broadcasters made significant efforts to improve the quality and contents of TV and radio programs. He also noted that the professional skills of Tajik broadcasters improved significantly.

Rakhmonov said that his agency is ready to cooperate with creative intellectuals, Tajik theatres, studios and actors, play-writers and script-writers who would facilitate in creating TV and radio programs.

http://www.khovar.tj/

On 11 January, representatives of Tajik media organizations discussed the issues of media sustainability in the country in 2007. The round table organized by International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) took place in Dushanbe.

For a number of years, IREX has been conducting studies on Media Sustainability Index in the countries of Europe and Eurasia under support of USAID. The project applies standard methodologies and basic indicators to define the level of development of the media in different countries.

Participants of the meeting in Dushanbe discussed the legal and social aspects of the media freedom and access to information in Tajikistan, professional standards of journalism and editorial independence.

“In the course of our discussion, we came to the conclusion that there have not been essential changes in the sphere of mass media”, — said Lidia Isamova, a well-known Tajik media expert and moderator of the discussion.

Among the major obstacles in the development of the domestic media, the participants outlined the problems with licensing of private TV and radio companies, poor education in the universities, breaches in the legislation, and lack of solidarity among media professionals.

“We gather once in a while discussing the cases of flagrant violations of our professional and civil rights, — said one of the participants. — We timidly discuss the problems and criticize public officials. However, we have to be hard on the target if we wish real changes to occur. In other words, if the official violates the law, his actions should be hold up to ridicule systematically. Besides that, we should include comments of professional lawyers in our publications”.

The most important conclusions of the panel discussion that took place in the IREX office in Dushanbe will be published in a special bulletin.

www.nansmit.tj

The Tajik Union of Journalists published an appeal addressed to press services of ministries and other government bodies saying that “the recent experience of holding press conferences shows the necessity of additional administrative and logistical measures to be taken”.

In particular, the Union of Journalists insists on the necessity of involving a wider media community in press conferences.

“Many journalists complain that the government agencies hold press conferences and media briefings on the same day and at the same time in different venues, — says the appeal. — Because of the transport problems, correspondents of different media outlets fail to attend these events”.

The Union of Journalists considers that this problem can be solved by convening the media meetings at one place, and offers its own premises for the meetings.

Most of the editing boards operating in Dushanbe are located in “Sharki Ozod”, the media complex in the Tajik capital. The UJT’s conference hall is capable of receiving 50 people. The venue is properly equipped for audio, video recording and broadcasting.

http://www.asiaplus.tj/

Along with improvement of the Media Law, it is necessary to accelerate development of new legislation on access to information. This opinion was voiced by participants of a round table discussion held in Dushanbe.

The most typical violation of the rights of journalists is denial of information, although the Tajik legislation guarantees access of citizens to publicly important information, and in some cases, the government bodies and public organizations are obliges to disseminate such information.

Rakhmon Ulmasov, one of the participants of the round table referred to an example from the United States. The US legislation protects the media form the state rather than vice versa.

Among the participants, there were Tajik parliamentarians, representative of the President’s Office, NANSMIT, the National Press Center, the Tajik Media Alliance, and other agencies. They proposed proposals on certain articles of the draft law. The participants consider that the law should guarantee access to information and the right to disseminate it not only to journalists, but to any individual.

The government bodies, public and other organizations, regardless of the form of property, should provide required information to any applicants. Journalists should have the right to visit government institutions and any other organizations; media professionals should have access to any public officials, to make any audio and video records, take pictures, except for specific cases indicated in the Tajik legislation.

Khovar News Agency

News Agency Pamir Media intends to expand its activities in 2008

Kurbon Alamshoev, director of Pamir Media told Aisa Plus correspondent that his agency has started publishing news bulletins in Tajik and English languages. Prior to that, the agency operated only in Russian language. Alamshoev said that Pamir Media intends to expand its activities, and in the nearest future will launch its own web site. Apart from the news line, the web page will contain publications in various genres.

Pamir Media has regional status; it has been operating on the territory of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province (GBAO) for more than a year. The Pamir Media news line contains publications about social, economic and political events within the province and in the neighboring countries – Afghanistan, Kyrgyz Republic and China.

http://www.asiaplus.tj/