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

Part II Kyrgyzstan: Advancements in a Media-Friendly EnvironmentPublic Service: General FunctionsThe understanding of public service functions may very wellhelp to establish a clearer indication of how and in which fieldsthis transformation can best progress. Therefore, the studywill take a look at the general functions of public service media,in particular how well OTRK (and the other public mediaoutlets) are actually delivering these public goods.Creating a Public SphereThe assessment of OTRK’s program quality, particularly ofnews, is widely varied. General program content, certainly onthe main TV channel, is rated highly by certain segments ofthe population (with the exception that a regular gripe is thelack of Kyrgyz soaps). The general opinion seems to be thatthe younger generation tends to turn to the Russian channelsfor better-made entertainment programs and talk shows, andsince cable access is widespread and cheap, “most consumershave access to Russian-language channels.” 85 News is moreharshly judged, even by those segments of the populationwho cite OTRK as their primary source of information (ratingsshow the OTRK news programs to be the most popular). 86 It isfelt to be unbalanced, too one-sided, and not current enough.There are people within OTRK who will insist that the broadcaster’snews programs are entirely unbiased with no governmentcontrol whatsoever, but few really believe this. Onesource within OTRK who wished to remain unnamed blamedthe lack of progress or improvement on aging, unprogressivemanagement, and partially blamed partners and donors fornot making a greater effort to influence policy and managementstructures. 87 But it must also be said that so far, journalistsat OTRK do not make full use of the potential that pressfreedom in their country holds.On the plus side, Kloop Media make a bulletin style newsprogram which is broadcast by OTRK and say that so far ithas been broadcast uncensored, despite occasional criticalcontent. 88 OTRK is one of the very few outlets which providean international news segment, relying on material from theBBC here. They also have a slot from parliament, where parliamentarydebate is broadcast live – the timing of this programseems to be irregular but on average about once a week. 89Then there is Inconvenient Questions, a Radio Azattyk (RadioFree Europe/Radio Liberty) political talk show rebroadcast byOTRK (on TV). Radio Azattyk’s website says this program reachesone in four Kyrgyz viewers every week and is “consideredamong the best programs on Kyrgyz national television.” 90Observation tends to confirm this. The program has been runningsince 2008. However, in March 2010, Azattyk was brieflytaken off air and prevented from rebroadcasting via other stations– observers thought probably because of InconvenientQuestions, although financial reasons were given (closet censorship).After the events of April 2010, all restrictions werelifted. Old editions of the program – dating back to 2010 and2011 – can be found on YouTube, where Azattyk has an account.Aside from the questionable balance within OTRK’s news andpolitical programming, the other main problem dogging newsproduction is the lack of regional content. There are seven regionalstudios/offices (the widest regional distribution of anyKyrgyz broadcaster) 91 and a limited network of both own correspondentsand stringers, but it doesn’t seem that they getmuch to do, mainly leaping into action if government politiciansvisit the region. According to the head of the InternationalRelations department, aside from the regional bureausthere is also a ‘mobile studio,’ in a bus, which does a tour ofall the regions twice a year and produces talk shows with localpoliticians – the resulting production is a popular programknown as Oi-ordo (Brainstorm Battle). 92 The mobile studio isalso used within Bishkek to cover live events such as concerts,operas, and similar happenings. And yet audience feedbackstill indicates that there is simply not enough coverage of regionalaffairsThe other PSM, ElTR, provides some things that OTRK doesnot provide. It has a strong heritage and culture focus and ismore highly regarded in the south. It rates public educationhighly and maintains reasonably good audience relationships.But ElTR is still quite provincial and it is underfinanced, itsmanagement structures are underdeveloped, and developmentof program content is slow moving.The Director General of ElTR, Sultan Zhumagulov, speakswith some pride of the fact that his was a presidential appointment,not a Supervisory Board decree and that therefore he ismerely “acting” Director General and has yet to be approved inoffice by the Board – but that he has been given full power bythe President to take any action necessary for transformation.He speaks of the President’s conviction that all media, local orotherwise, should work according to international standards75Meerim Asanaly, Head of InternationalRelations and ProtocolDepartment, OTRK.76IREX 2013.77IREX 2014, 262.78Marina Kydyralieva, Joint MediaCommittee ( founding member),advisor to Director General ElTR.79Corina Cepoi, Project Director,Internews Bishkek80IREX 2014, 264.81Bektour Iskender, Kloop MediaFoundation ( founding member).82Meerim Asanaly, Head of InternationalRelations and ProtocolDepartment, OTRK – this examplewas cited by several interviewees.83IREX 2014, 250.84Sultan Zhumagulov, DirectorGeneral ElTR.85IREX 2014, 259.86Marina Kydyralieva, Joint MediaCommittee ( founding member),advisor to Director General ElTR.87Employee, International RelationsDepartment, OTRK.88Bektour Iskender, Kloop MediaFoundation ( founding member).89Employee, International RelationsDept., OTRK.90Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty2013.91Employee International RelationsDepartment, OTRK; informationprovided via email on March 21,2014.92Meerim Asanaly, Head of InternationalRelations and ProtocolDepartment, OTRK.Edition DW Akademie In the Service of the Public 61