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Address of the National Association of Television and Radio Broadcasters of Kazakhstan “National Association of Television and Radio Broadcasters of Kazakhstan” (“NAT Kazakhstan”), registered on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan (registration # 37601-1910-ÎÞË, January 22, 2001) considers that it is necessary to express its point of view in regard to amendments to the law “On mass media” proposed by the government, and now being actively discussed in the community and in parliament. Members of NAT support the state policy that supports the democratization of society, and the professional development of local journalism. We welcome the government’s interest in support and development of regional television and radio companies. As the National Association of Television and Radio Broadcasters, which unites regional television and radio companies, we speak not only for our business, but we also express interests of our television viewers. Along with state companies at the expense of PRIVATE means we create new work employment and realize projects that support state policies (including development of state language and national culture in the broad sense of the word). Regional television and radio companies and Ministry of Culture, Information and Public Consent have agreed in regard to a number of issues concerning the proposed amendments to the law “On mass media”. Nevertheless, we would like to draw attention to the following amendments, which provoke our concern. In particular: 1. Responsibility of journalists for dissemination of information taken from other sources. Adoption of this amendment will lead to obstacles in the receipt of useful and reliable information by journalists and may shut down many journalistic genres, such as investigative journalism, special reportage, etc. In our opinion, at the present time we have sufficient laws to discourage journalists and other citizens of the RK, against dissemination of unreliable (false) information. 2. Registration of web-sites and web-pages. In contemporary conditions it makes no sense to conduct registration of web-sites as mass media. Internet is only a technical media for dissemination of information. Mass media, which use Internet as a means, are already registered in the Ministry of Information as mass media. In regard to other web-sites, there is no need to register them, because Internet is a freely developing, self-managing electronic structure. The given issue should be either taken off the agenda or requires serious additional examination with consideration of world practice and experience. We acknowledge with satisfaction that television and radio companies came to consensus with the Ministry of Information on gradual introduction of limitation on retransmission volumes of foreign mass media, which projects that beginning from January 1, 2002 retransmission will be cut by 50 % and starting from January 1, 2003 by 80%. At the same time, introduced limitations on retransmission of foreign channels will be effective only if the state provides support to mass media for creating favorable conditions for their development: 1. Temporary (for the period of 10 years) cancellation of VAT for electronic mass media, lowering payment rate for radio frequencies and cost for maintenance of television and radio transmitters by local Radio Television Transmitting Centers; 2. Temporary (for the period of 10 years) cancellation of customs fees on imported equipment, used for production and transmission of television and radio programs, equipment and other materials, used for production of print mass media; 3. Participation of non-state mass media in implementation of state order on equal basis with state companies; 4. Presence of state program, which stimulates production of films and television programs of local production, securing qualified preparation of professional staff for work in mass media, first of all - in the state language. Lately there have been accusations in some mass media addressed to regional television and radio companies: Accusations claim that they do little for the development of state language and national culture overall. We consider these accusations to be groundless, due to the fact that despite of modest financial opportunities and weak technical equipment, regional mass media have been able to create high-quality professional television programs in Kazakh and Russian languages: local informational and analytical programs, programs for children and youth, documentaries, all of which are very popular among population and are the winners of professional competitions of the country. However, in regard to production of programs local stations compete in unequal conditions, unlike state television and radio companies, which receive means from the state budget and other privileges. We support the initiative of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Public Consent on free granting of feature and documentary films to regional television and radio companies from Gosfilmfond (State film foundation) for broadcasting. However this is just a partial solution of the problem. We are for a rational policy to work out a state program that stimulates mass media to successfully encourage the development of state language. Various polarized points of view have been expressed during the discussion of the proposed amendments to the law “On mass media”. We believe that this is a normal process in the search of truth. We hope that defending one’s point of view will not lead to persecution of journalists and managers of television and radio companies on the part of state agencies. We come forward for main principles of free entrepreneurial activity, guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan. We believe that in our country there should be equal conditions for development of mass media of all types of ownership, state, as well as, private.
M. Baitasov N. Z. Mukhamedzhanova Members of the Board: M. T. Kunbayev V. K. Kulikova A. V. Zharkov O. K. Baiwakov |
