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Service Broadcsting in Central Asia Overview | Techvision | Resources | Criteria | Critique | Legal Mapping | Financing | Restructuring |
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Kyrgyzstan Tajikstan Uzbekistan Turkmenistan |
Report on the the research findings of the field study conducted in Kyrgyzstan Fact Sheet: Dates of Visit: August 1-6,2003 Places of Visit: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan People/Professionals met/Interviewed/Discussed:
Documents Collected:
Background
An Analytic Overview Objectives of the mission: The objectives
of the present research paper to Major
Trends in the Broadcasting Scenario of Kyrgyzstan All broadcasters in Central Asia are facing phenomenal challenges because of increased pressure from civil societies to make it more free and independnt. The broadcasters are facing strong competion for audiences, which are fragmented. Earlier, most public service broadcasters had worked in monopolistic paradigm. The whole legal and structural framework derived from this monopolistic paradigm. All decisions, descriptions, actions completely suited to the environment where competition, free and independnt media were completely absent. This paradigm is highly unsuitable and inappropriate to the present environment. Today, due to advent of challnels ,there are many channels and there are many alternatives. Audience is watching different channels. The revenue of those public service broadcasters is getting fragmented as advertising revenue gets fragmented. So, the environment is extremely competitive. The process of democratization of society as well as broadcasting began in the early 90’s. Even though broadcasters enjoyed a monopoly, a reduction in the proportion of budgetary support, combined with pressures to open up media sector to private and NGO enterprises puts the policy makers to change the media legislation as soon as possible. Many broadcasters sell airtime on the basis of the size of its viewership, they began to look for ways and means of increasing its share as the media market became increasingly more competitive. This resulted in a reduction in emphasis on public service programmes, as the prime time was reserved for commercial programming which earned the most revenue. Radio is undergoing a similar process, though to a lesser extent. There is then the technological environment. There is a tremendous change in broadcast technologies. It stared with satellite revolution and digitalization where you have many many channels are reaching your door-step. You can receive this on satellite, distribute them in cable, receive them small direct-to-home (DTH) dishes with the proliferation of television. There has been very recently a growth in direct radio broadcasting where you can receive directly hundred of radio channels on a small receiver not with dish antennae but with very small antennae like tape. There has been proliferation of channels and the technological environment has changed. The Internet has made even a bigger change. On the Internet today, you can get streaming video and audio and whole host of multimedia. This has changed the whole technologies where you are. The consolidation is happening among major media players across central asia.People are getting restless to have completely independent media from from government controls. Of course, there are a lot of private commercial stations working , but by and large , the whole broadcasing industry is under the government control. Building an analytical framework Public Vs State “ Public Service Broadcasters” in Asia are many times reffered as synonym with state broadcasters or National broadcasters. One of key reaosns for ascribing the status is that they are more or less performing public service functions of the media.But it too simplistic and wrong if we consider all state-owned /national public broadcasters are public service broadcasters. The following analysis will reveal thet it is not necessarily true that all the state-owned national broadcasters are truly public broadcasters. This brings us to a question: What is Public Service broadcasting? State Vs Independent Broadcasters Many media experts term " Indepedent media" any media which is not under the control of state. So, Indepent media refers to those Radio and Television channels which may be commercial, privately owned or any owned by Non-governemntal organisation ( non-profit) What is Public Broadcasting? Public Service Broadcasting is defined is the broadcasting made for the Public, funded by the Public and controlled by the public. Essentially, it emphasizes on public participation in ownership, control, funding and programming of broadcasting. The word “public” refers to the entire population of the country or region that the public broadcaster is responsible for serving. From the above definition, it is very clear that all the state/national broadcasters in Central Asia may not be categorized as a “ Public Service Broadcaster”. But they may be a poor or non-representative form of Public Service Broadcasters as they have essentially few components/ characteristics of Public Broadcasters. In this context, following Questions are raised in relations to state-owned broadcasters within the purview of essential characteristics of a public broadcaster : Analysis of "What is not Public Broadcasting in Kyrgyzstan" The analysis can start with the “ what is not” o The state-owned
/National broadcasters are not private(commercially driven) broadcasters Then what are they? Of Course , they are not public service broadcasters according the universal definition accepted by many people Further,
analysis can be further made in terms of It is worth-mentioning here that these broadcasters cannot convert to private broadcasters as their mandate does not allow them to become because they have some public responsibilities and they existence is defined by their identities. At the same times, it is quite clear that they cannot continue in the same state of affairs as they are now, they cannot survive as they are working in the still monopolistic paradigm.. The
Best solution: Public participation in Broadcasting Building a methodology for evaluating Public Broadcasting in Kyrgyzstan To answer these questions, we need to develop a methodology to evaluate a state/national broadcaster as Public Service broadcaster. The proposed methodology is based on essential elements that constitute a true public service broadcasting systems as available some of the countries of the world and most importantly, with essential elements of public participation and universal declaration human rights. The second questions arise : How does one assess that a national/state broadcaster have become/converted to a public service broadcaster? Generally identified Process to convert a national/state broadcaster to a public service broadcasters The answer may be broadly like this if it undergoes these processes. Of course, these process are not universal.
Reviewing the Present System Firstly,
we wish to see is there any attempt to review the present Kyrgyzstan broadcasting. One may ask: What does it mean by changing in the legal framework? Change in
the legal framework is basically changing present media law of the country
based on the spirit of the constitution. Plainly speaking, is there any
attempt to bring a new media law or change the existing media law for
providing greater public participation in the broadcasting? The answer may be both yes and no. Table 1, clearly demonstrate that in Kyrgyzstan has tried to change the media law/introduce a new media law to provide more public participation.
As provided in the Apendix 2 and Apendix 3, the new draft law and the amendments to the the law. Apendix 3 has provided a comparative structure of the old law and the new law It is clearly visible from the analysis that Kyrgyzstan is going towards a major structural changes in broadcasting. Before introducing the new media legislation, one may look for formal guarantees of free and independent media in the constitution of Kyrgyzstan. Legal Framework For any public service broadcasters changing legal framework means the following: 1. Constitutional
guarantee/support for free and independent public media What may be the Formal Guarantees for protecting free and independent media? This depends mostly on answering satisfactorily the following questions.
Kyrgyzstan
If you see the table 2 , it is quite clear that KyrgyzstanKyrgyzstan constitution provides clear provisions for establishment of free and independent public media. But it is worthwhile to see how are they implemented in practice. These conditions set for creating climate for public service broadcasting. In most of the cases in Asian Media the constitutions provide provisions for all these conditions unless otherwise it is not suppressed. Even if the constitution provides all necessary provision for a free and independent media, it may not be the case that all the provisions are being applied for.Kyrgyzstan is a classic example for sucha case.These provisions may be negated by the pretext of security reasons. What are other ways to protect media from undue influnce of state and industries? Constituting an independent Board The structural changes guarantee the real public service nature of broadcasting. It is mostly by establishing an independent board. This goes without saying that establishing an independent board is first step towards initiating public service broadcasting This goes to the second sets of questions do the countries: Does the
country’s broadcasting system have a board? The clear
answer for Kyrgyzstan is that there is a new board for broadcasting organizations.
But Broadcasting board has full of people from the government sectors. All the questions related constition of the board,Powers & Roles of the board,conditions on the members of the board, functions and responsibilities of the board are not considered as ther is no board at all. In order that state/national broadcasters to become a true public service broadcasters needs to develop a strong accountable mechanisms for the public What constitute accountable mechanisms of a broadcasting system? Advisory
Bodies
From the above table it is very clear that none of the accountable mechanisms are in place except audience/listeners pool but it it is quite unclear that how scientific these pools are. The department of social evaluation does the pool from time to time. It is also unclear that these results have any bearings on the production.
Annual Reports
Broadcast
Regulator
From above-table, it is quite clear that there is no such broadcasting regulator. But the state Commitee on TV and Radio which is also state-owned public broadcaster has the authority to issue licenses to all the private and commercial broadcasters. This makes a dangerous proposition as The stae commitee can turn down an application for license for broadcasting if it find it extremely competetive. The Tajik media lawyers are fighting to remove this anomoly. It is also mentioned during the interview with various stakeholders that there is no such provisions enshrined in the media law Complaint
Mechanisms What are the present complaint mechanism systems? Internal complaint Mechanisms
From the above table , it is very clear that no such internal complain mechanisms are in place.It shows how Tajik broadcasting is far away from having a public broadcaster. External Complaints Mechanisms
From the above table it is clear no such external mechanisms in place. It was report during the interviews, any complain about the programme is aired live and responded.But there is no code of conduct in place. Public Service Functions of Public Service Broadcasting General Requirements
Pluralism
National Identity
From the
above table, it is very clear that State broadcasters is quite awre of
performing the public service functions of broadcasters except there is
no minority programme in the peak hours. the explanation given for the
issue it that Kyrgyzstan has overwhelmingly a muslim nation. Special Groups
News
Other Public Service Obligations
One way to check undue interference from the authority is to create a funding mechanism contributed by public Funding and Financing
Structural Changes
Push for structural reforms While Kyrgyz republic Public service broadcaster should be accountable to Parliament for policy and strategic decisions, the organisation would be responsible for its own operational and tactical decisions. The government of the day must have no hand in its functioning or decision-making, and must remain at arms-length Independent
financial resource or more public funded Funding and financing Mechanisms Analysis of the findings Recommended strategies for Future Some Relevant Recommendations on PSB in Kyrgyzstan Public Service
Broadcasters in Kyrgyzstan are encouraged to :- C. Contribute
to production of programmes for clearly defined developmental needs.
Why Public Service Broadcasting is so important for Kyrgyzstan? The broadcasting scenario present in the Asia-Pacific is quite myrid, competitive and market-driven. The excessive importance to market results in hyer-commercilization and sometimes dehumanization and monopolization of content with handful of multinationals. Besides, the technological proliferations and media convergence makes “weaker socitalisation of PSB”. But more positively, the audience exposed to more globalization of programming, more awareness of international happening and aspiring for a “ Globalized Audience “.In some front , we encounter the trend of localization of the global what we described as “ Glocalization”. So, it is most unlikely to assume that the desire to have PSB in Kyrgyzstan is seen as solution to existing problems rather than the problem itself. The Background for necessity of introducing PSB in Kyrgyzstan Some of the
strongest reasons for Kyrgyzstan broadcasters wish to change to true and
editorial independent public service broadcasters may be the following:
Some
Future Strategies
References and Bibliography Appendix 1: Appendix 2: Appendix 3:
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