 The media |
Although media in the Kyrgyz Republic have enjoyed
more freedom than their counterparts in neighbouring
Central Asian countries since the collapse of the
Soviet Union, they have been experiencing increasing
pressure.
This was the case ahead of the 2000 parliamentary
and presidential elections and took the form of
threats against journalists as well as tax inspections
and law suits entailing large fines against media
outlets. Opposition candidates complained of the
unequal airtime they were given on local television
during the election campaigns.
Several opposition newspapers have been closed while
others have now substantially softened their stance
in the wake of such pressure. Governmental pressure
eased significantly in the months after the elections.
According to the US-funded Internews media organisation.
self-censorship remains a big problem among journalists,
as does informal government censorship in the form
of phone calls from government official to media
outlets, asking them to restrict content.
The financial situation of most radio and T·stations
and newspapers is difficult and journalists face
an uncertain future.
There are more than 30 registered non-governmental
T·and radio stations, most of them in Bishkek where
there is a substantial advertising market.
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The press
·Slovo Kyrgyzstana - government-owned,
published three times a week
·Vecherniy Bishkek - private, pro-government
daily
·Litsa - mouthpiece of the opposition Ar-Namys
Party
·Delo No - opposition weekly
·Liberalnaya Gazeta - private, opposition-leaning
weekly
·Obshchestvennyy Reyting - independent
weekly
·RIF Obozreniye - independent weekly
·The times of Central Asia - English-language
magazine, weekly, covers the main issues and events
in five Central Asian republics
·The Bishkek Observer - weekly, focuses
on Kyrgyzstan
·Octopus - Russian-language Business Guide
with detailed listings
Television and radio
· Kyrgyz State National Television and
Radio Broadcasting Corporation
· Pyramida - private television and radio
broadcasting company, covers the capital, Bishkek
and neighbouring regions
· VOSST - private television and radio
broadcasting company, covers Bishkek and the northern
Chuy Region
· Asman T·- private television broadcasting
company, covers the Bishkek area
· KOORT - independent public educational
television, mainly rebroadcasts Russian Public
Television (ORT) programmes to the Bishkek area
· EMT·- Educational Youth T·
· NBT - Independent Bishkek Television
broadcasting company, covers the Bishkek area
· Ekho Bishkeka - independent radio broadcasting
station, covers the Bishkek area
· Almaz - independent radio broadcasting
company
News agencies
Kabar - national news agency
AKIpress - provides a regular digest of the Kyrgyz
press, has a good magazine and a yellow-press
paper called "Lemon" for those who like
human-interest stories.
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