Representative office of the International organization Internews Network in Kazakhstan

Internews Kazakhstan - is a representative office of the international noncommercial organization Internews Network:

• Promotes development of independent television, radio and Internet in countries with developing democracies;

• Produces and disseminates innovative television programs on internal and international topics;

• Uses electronic mass media as a tool to resolve national and international conflicts.

Internews Network has representative offices in 19 countries of the world (including majority of CIS and Central Asian countries). Headquarters are based of the organization is based in Arcata, State of California, USA.

The first project of Internews in Kazakhstan was program of professional training of employees of television stations. Training seminars on basics of production of television stories (first similar seminar was held in Almaty in the summer of 1992) were organized.

Eight television stations of the country in 1995 received a technical grant - set of professional equipment for production of local information programs from USAID.

In 1998 Internews conducted first seminars for journalists, working on air in Kazakh language, and now makes serious efforts in order to raise creative level of information programs in state language (it produces the television magazine “Aina” in cooperation with regional television companies in Russian and Kazakh languages, which is distributed among independent television companies of Kazakhstan for airing free of charge).

In 1998 Internews began a new project - field seminars-consultations: group of professional specialists arrives to local station and, having familiarized themselves with the state of affaires, analyzes its activity, and then develops recommendations and begins practical training of staff. Such seminars-consultations were conducted on television and radio companies “Otyrar” (Shymkent), “Alau” (Kostanay), “RIKA TV” (Aktobe), “TVK-6 Baywakov” (Semipalatinsk), Channel 31 (Almaty) and etc.

Training programs of Internews Kazakhstan introduce professionals to the western methods of work, simultaneously considering national and cultural peculiarities. Besides trainings for journalists, cameramen and editors, Internews has introduced in practice training of managers of various levels, specialists on sale of advertising time, advertisement production, engineers, specialists on computer graphics and others working in television and radio companies. By today Internews in Kazakhstan has conducted about 60 training courses and seminars. More than 700 individuals gained knowledge in various spheres, connected with activity of television and radio.

Internews Kazakhstan provides legal assistance to non-state television and radio companies in the form of consultations for mass media. В проблемных ситуациях юрист Internews’ lawyer travels to fields in problematic situations in order to study a situation and develop recommendations.

Internews Kazakhstan actively participates in development of alternative draft-laws, discussion of existing practice of regulating activity of mass media, organizes various seminars and conferences, develops methodic and training manuals on legal aspects of mass media activity.

Since 1998 Internews Kazakhstan issues weekly «Internews electronic bulletin», which is disseminated among more than 200 subscribers by e-mail.

Since 1999 Internews Kazakhstan with financial support of Eurasia foundation and contribution of the US Agency of International Development (USAID) issues monthly informational analytical bulletin «Legislation and practice of Kazakhstans mass media» (print and electronic versions). In this collection a reader can find useful information, texts of laws and legislative acts, comments of our lawyers and mass media experts to them. The bulletin is being addressed to mass media, publishers, journalists, professionals, scientists, as well as those, who are interested in and should know processes that are taking place in the mass media sector (officials, parliamentarians, lawyers).

From the very beginning of its existence Internews office provides support to independent producers and journalists in production of programs and telecasts, which are then passed for airing to non-state stations free of charge.

In cooperation with partners in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tadzhikistan, Internews Kazakhstan produces and passes to television companies of Central Asia for airing the television magazine «Open Asia».