A new State TV channel to be created in Tajikistan

President of Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmon appreciates the increase in the number of non-government media outlets and considers them a platform for discussions of the most topical problems in the society. This statement was made by Rakhmon at a traditional seasonal meeting with the Tajik intelligentsia. However, Rakhmon criticized the official media noting that they provide Tajikistani with out-of-date information. Very often, the official press and television ignore ongoing events, thus giving a chance to foreign media – especially the Russian mass media – to fill in the information vacuum. “It is necessary to create an information TV channel in the country”, — said the President.

“Prior to learning about a certain accident in the country from the local radio and television, the Tajik people learn about it from the Russian mass media. It often leads to misunderstanding of the situation; it leads to false information, prejudiced interpretations and exaggerations. At the recent government session, I have charged the officials to promptly share official information with the State media – so that the information would not be distorted. I have also given an order to the chairman of the State TV and Radio Committee to create a special information channel, which will broadcast news and stories about the events – not only in Tajikistan, but elsewhere in the world – so that our people would learn about ongoing developments within the country and beyond its boundaries”, — said the President.

To restrain and to keep from…

The President noted that the Tajik-language segment within the global network is very small. “This gap should be filled in order to ensure the information security of the country”, — Rakhmon said. Along with that, he stressed that online publications should not defame human dignity; they should not contribute to fomentation of local conflicts, nepotism and extremism”. Rakhmon asked journalists to restrain from publishing materials containing messages of mistrust and pessimism.

In the meantime, media experts in Tajikistan express concern about the statements made by the country leader. “Some officials can now gamble on that with the purpose to control the press”, — says Nuriddin Karshibayev, chairman of the National Association of Independent Media (NANSMIT).

“A normal official will take the President’s words adequately; but if he is an adulator and social climber, he will apply these words to strengthen pressure on journalists and the media. Our officials have always complained that “the journalists are fond of stirring up the masses, and they should be more careful in order not to disturb stability in Tajikistan. And now, someone who dares to write about the problems of Tajikistani can be immediately “labeled” as a destabilizer of the society”, — Karshibayev said.

A new TV channel or daily papers – what is better?

Regarding the President’s order to create a new State TV channel, Karshibayev says that it would be more efficient to create appropriate conditions for printing and disseminating private newspapers; it would be worthwhile to abolish some of the numerous local official outlets. It is very important that the newspapers will be published every day, not on the weekly basis as it is now.

“I think it would be impossible to resolve the problem of informing the society on the ongoing events in the country. Because of the lack of electricity, half of the year the people do not have access to television, — said Karshibayev. — In my opinion, new public-political newspapers should be created in the provinces of Tajikistan. Such newspapers should be published regularly and reach the remotest areas of the country. The malpractice of publishing the official city, district and province newspapers should be also abolished – since these outlets effectively are tribunes of local authorities. They do not provide readers with alternative information and do not contain any analysis of social and economic problems in the country”.

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