From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Thu Aug 03 2000 - 10:05:14 EDT
Osh Media Resource Center
Osh. Kyrghyzstan
ATTEMPT TO STOP PRIVATE TV-STATION BROADCASTING WAS TAKEN BY AUTHORITIES
AND FAILED TODAY ON 3 AUGUST IN OSH, SOUTHERN KYRGHYZSTAN
More than twenty journalists from the town of Osh gathered today on 3 August
in front of the Osh TV's office ( an Osh based private TV-station with
Uzbek language of broadcasting) protesting against the attempt of
representatives of the National Agency on Communictions (NAC) to seal up
the station's broadcasting transmitter on fifth VHF (very high frequency).
( More background information about Osh TV's situation can be obtained at:
www.camsp.osh.kg , department CAMsP Publications/ CAMEL-4/On a short lead.
By Alexei Sukhov.)
Representatives of the southern branch of Kyrghyztan's National Agency on
Communications -Asanov Talaibek, the head of the department and Alimbekov
Malik, the chief engineer of the agency told journalists that their actions
were the result of the fact that
Osh TV did not comply with the previous decree issued by the Kyrghyz
National Agency on Communications on 29 June, 2000.
The decree signed by Topoev Esen, the chairman of the Kyrghyz State
Commission on Radio Frequencies and who is also Kyrghyzstan's defense
minister, rejected Osh TV's
appeal to prolong its license to broadcast on VHF fifth channel, put a
deadline for ceasing Osh TV's broadcasting- 01.07.2000 ( July 1st), and
assigned the Kyrghyz National Agency for Communications to oversee the
implementation of the decree.
Khaliljan Khudaiberdiev, Osh TV director refused to sign the statement
prepared by Asanov Talaibek, NAC representative, that would certify Osh TV
agreed with this measure of NAC.
According to Khaliljan Khudaiberdiev, the process of changing from VHF to
UHF broadcasting is extremly costly for the station's budget. About 2
million soms (local currency) ( $42 675) is needed to change equipment and
infrustructure necessary for UHF broadcasting. More importantly, the change
of frequency can result in the loss of the majority of Osh TV audience
(mostly ethnic Uzbeks) because the UHF would requre special ariel from
viewers to receive Osh TV programming. Mr. Khudaiberdiev did not rule out
the possibility
that this process might lead to Osh TV's closing down.
After two hours of heated debates between NAC officials, journalists and Osh
TV' administration, NAC representatives left, but they said they would come
back soon.
On 3 August, Khaliljan Khudaiberdiev announced his intention to file a
complaint against the NAC decree and unauthorized actions by NAC
representatives who did not have an official sanction to seal up the
transmitter in hand.
Mr. Khudaiberdiev is convinced that actions of NAC are unlawful:
according to the existing Kyrghyz law on media, only the court verdict or
the founding body can close down or stop the functioning of a media outlet.
An attempt to seal up the transmitter of Osh-TV is a direct discriminatory
act on the part of the governmental agency. He refers to the example of a
government owned KTR (Kyrghyz
Teleradio Company) that uses the same VHF and mega hertz frequency out side
Osh and in Bishek, and that did not get any official notification to cease
broadcasting. Khaliljan Khudaiberdiev turned to Internews-Kyrghyzstan,
which provided a consultation on legal aspects connected to Osh TV present
situation. Internews has also expressed willingness to assist Osh TV with
this case.
Looking at the technicalities, Osh TV presently uses VHF channel 5 and the
radio frequency range on 97- mega hertz to disperse the sound of its
programming. But according to the official statement of the State Commission
on Radio Frequencies which refers to the international technical standards,
the radio frequency range from 88 mega hertz to 108 mega hertz is to be used
only for radio broadcasting, and that OshTV's progamming causes technical
problems for the radio broadcasting in the town of Osh. But at the same
time, the State Commission seems to approach the issue from a biased angle:
it did not issue similar statements and decrees toward a state controlled
TV-station -KTR (Kyrghyz Teleradio Company) that also uses channel 4 and 5
on VHF ( outside Osh area), and similar radio frequency range on mega hertz.
A number of analysts, including local journalists, believe that recent
developments with Osh TV can be closely related to upcoming rush of
presidential elections in Kyrghyzstan on 29 October. In their opinion,
authorities seem to make efforts to seize control over all key media outlets
which can have significant impact on public opinion before and during
elections.
For more information, contact:
Alisher Khamidov
Director/Osh Media Resource Center
email: alisher@infotel.kg
tel/fax: (996) 3222 2-08-58
Internet: www.camsp.osh.kg
or Khaliljan Khudaiberdiev directly at:
oshtv@infotel.kg
tel/fax: (996) (3222) 270-25; 565-78
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