edition-dw-akademie-in-the-service-of-the-public-functions-and-transformation-of-media-in-developing-countries-pdf

Stakeholders in the Transformation ProcessThere are a considerable number of international organizationsactive in the Kyrgyz Republic today, across all sections ofcivil society. The main actors in the media sector are the OSCE(Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe), 25 theUS Agency for International Development (USAID), 26 the SO-ROS Foundation, 27 and the American media development organization,Internews. 28 The Copenhagen-based media developmentNGO International Media Support (IMS) 29 also worksin the country, mainly with the Public Association of Journalists(PAJ) and Kloop Media.In the public service media sector, the following recent developmentsand activities stand out: With the financial supportof USAID, the US-American media development organizationInternews has been actively involved in the transformationprocess of OTRK from state broadcaster to public service mediasince March 2012 – and in the development of independentmedia in the country for much longer than that. Their programhas a strong focus on management strategies and on television.Several organizational and financial assessments weremade. Internews also engaged in lobbying work in the politicalsphere and civil society groups were supported in their engagementfor PSM on the independent Supervisory Board.Moves were made towards more regular citizen participation,with town-hall meetings organized between citizensand OTRK staff. Following a tender given out by Internews,an international research organization called InterMedia wascharged in late 2013 with a study of the television and radioaudiences of OTRK. 30 Beginning in mid-December 2013, focusgroups were set up across the country to take a closer look atOTRK audiences. The study is aimed at identifying programmingweaknesses – and strengths – as well as determiningfuture target audiences. The Joint Media Committee, an umbrellaorganization which was formed in the latter half of 2012by joining three separate Kyrgyz media associations, 31 is accompanyingthis study in a consultancy role. 32In January 2014, Internews also announced a tender for aManagement Support Component on strategic planning, reportwriting, and communication. To be based on a functionalanalysis already carried out, this project is in response to “aneed to support the OTRK management in compiling annualreports, strategies and presentations.” 33 It was requested bythe management at OTRK, which would indicate that changeagents have successfully insisted on the need for wide-rangingimprovement of media management skills. This is frequentlysingled out as the one of the biggest weak spots, the Achillesheel (along with insufficient legal frameworks) in the transformationof the Kyrgyz media sector. 34 A tender has also beenissued (by Internews and the Soros Foundation) for a review ofthe laws and regulations governing OTRK, with a view to clarifyingfunding mechanisms for the broadcaster and adjustingexisting laws to better recognise its public status. Draft lawsand regulations have already been drawn up which need re-fining and discussing with ministries and other stakeholdersbefore being put into the hands of the lawmakers. 35Among initiatives already completed, the SOROS Foundationand the OSCE have been instrumental in organizing studytours for MPs and broadcasters to Georgia, Lithuania andother countries in the wider region where the transformationto public service media is further advanced. These have beentaking place since 2011 and have resulted in recommendationsand guidelines being established for further development. AnOTRK ‘top management’ delegation including the DirectorGeneral, Kubatbek Otorbaev, was shortly due (at the time ofwriting) to visit Estonia to exchange expertise and comparenotes on the transformation process. 36OTRK itself is becoming more pro-active in this respectand the International Relations and Protocol Department(which sometimes calls itself External Relations) has takensteps to strengthen relations with foreign broadcasters andbroadcasting associations, including Korean BroadcastingSystem (KBS) in South Korea, Japanese public broadcasterNHK, and the Turkish Radio and TV Corporation TRT. OTRKis a member of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), acooperation and assistance platform for the region based inKuala Lumpur. 37 At present, by far the larger part of internationaldonor cooperation is provided by Internews and SO-ROS – without whose considerable financial commitment,according to one interviewee, many of the Internews projectscould not get off the ground. 38 The Japan International CooperationAgency (JICA) also provides some support in the formof consultancy and equipment. 39All international change agents seem to work very well withKyrgyzstani organizations – collaboration on both an abstractand a more concrete logistical level seems well-developed.Most collaboration is on a consultancy level or in the form offunding or a combination of both. There is some training – ofjournalists as well as administrators – undertaken by both foreignand national organizations, 40 but it is widely recognisedthat more needs to be done here.ElTR works with partners such as USAID and SOROS as well.The outlet has received financial and technical assistance fromthe United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and it hasreceived direct funding for programming from India and fromChina, and peer-to-peer training from the Turkish broadcasterTRT (for which ElTR staff travelled to Turkey). 41Status of the Media OrganizationLegal Framework, Governance and EthicsOstensibly, the media sector in Kyrgyzstan is governed bysome of the most liberal media legislation in the region. Accessto public information, and freedoms of speech and of thepress are guaranteed in the Kyrgyz constitution and, to a degree,in law. But practical experience with the law has shownthat it lags behind the constitution to a certain degree. It wasquickly recognized that whilst the media had been reformed,56