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Media misery in Central Asia
Written by: Andrew Stroehlein
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As if access to independent information for people living in Central Asia was not hard enough, another international outlet is all but packing up shop there. Deutsche Welle, the German broadcaster, is set to announce major cuts to its Russian-language services to the region.
Sources tell me their plans include making cuts both in content and delivery method. Programs are being slashed, and more than 50% of programs will be broadcast only over the internet, no longer via shortwave. Given the many regimes in Central Asia very actively censor the internet to filter out information they don't want their citizens to read, this seems particularly misguided.
The strangest part about Deutsche Welle's forthcoming cuts is that they are, according to my sources, not driven by economic necessity. The BBC World Service has also reduced services to the region in recent years, but at least they had budgetary explanations. With Deutsche Welle, it is apparently happening simply on the whim of new management
Deutsche Welle's decision comes after many hardships for independent information providers in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan kicked RFE/RL broadcasts off state-owned FM stations late last year, and slightly further afield, Azerbaijan did the same. RFE/RL have also had two physical assaults against their people in Central Asia since the start of this year -- this on top of increasing threats and harassment in the region in 2008. Senior Media Advisor Joanna Levison recently told me, "We persevere (back to shortwave, forward to internet radio), but to date we haven't been able to recoup what we've lost."
Tashkent's intimidation and imprisonment of journalists from the independent outlet uznews.net sadly continues, with one of its journalists interrogated by the security forces just yesterday. Uzbekistan and neighbouring Turkmenistan seem to be in an endless competition to be the world's worst country for freedom of speech, with the other "Stans" not too far behind.
Given all that, international broadcasters should be looking for more ways to deliver independent content into the information black holes in this part of the world. Deutsche Welle's soon-to-be-announced cuts will only cast these countries into further darkness.
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6 responses to “Media misery in Central Asia”
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Journalist Andrew Stroehlein is Communications Director for the International Crisis Group, the conflict resolution organisation, where he promotes responsible coverage of current and potential conflicts and helps draw attention to forgotten wars around the world.
11 Mar 2009 02:44:48 GMT
The problem that is bigger than the regimes in Central Asia censoring the internet content, is the lack of internet access. Not everyone has a computer, leave alone the access to the internet.
Radio is the oldest and still most effective way to reach out to public in these regions. Cutting radio programs in countries where 90% of population don't own computers is unwise.13 Mar 2009 16:09:18 GMT
Are there concrete evidences that Radio Broadcasting is being sencored? Which gorvernment wich broadcasting? And in what extend? I am very curious about this, plz tell me more!
13 Mar 2009 16:10:11 GMT
Dear Mr Stroehlein!
As Head of the Russian department of Deutsche Welle I am very surprised to read this blog entry. And as journalist and expert who values highly the International Crisis Group I am a bit disappointed that information on Deutsche Welle is published whithout asking the Deutsche Welle for a comment. After reading this misleading blog entry I would like to correct some points that have been made: We are not stopping shortwave radio for Central Asia. We are restructuring our Russian radio- and online-Services for Central Asia with the exact aim you mentioned: ���International broadcasters should be looking for more ways to deliver independent content into the information black holes in this part of the world.��� That���s why we continue using short wave and that���s why we need to improve our online services on Central Asia and develop new delivery methods for our information (SMS-services, mobile internet, podcasts). Please feel free to contact me for more information on our plans. I will be very happy to discuss with you our strategy on Central Asia sharing the same goal of delivering uncensored information to this region. Ingo Mannteufel Head of the Russian-language service at Deutsche Welle13 Mar 2009 22:38:26 GMT
Dear Mr Mannteufel,
Thank you for your comment, which is the same as one of your emails to me earlier this week and which I have addressed in private correspondence with you. I will be happy to share that with readers in full, but to highlight the main points... First, Deutsche Welle's point of view was clear from the 34-page document on the restructuring of the DW Russian-language programs, "Projekt Umstrukturierung der Programmdirektion, Teilprojekt Russisch", dated 9 February 2009, which I have here. It it a long defence of your position with your name on it, so I was very familiar with your side of the argument before I published my blog entry. Second, you say above, "We are not stopping shortwave radio for Central Asia." But I did not write in my original blog entry that shortwave radio was being stopped. I said that shortwave programming would be shortened, which according to the 34-page concept note I have, is clear enough. In additional email correspondence we have had together, you have confirmed that original Russian-language programming for Central Asia will be cut from 20 minutes to 10 minutes. Your reply that the same 10 minutes of programming will be repeated several times does not negate the point: it is still less original programming for Central Asia. Surely this is the crux of the issue: I am in favour of new media delivery systems as much as anyone, but in Central Asia in particular, this cannot come at the expense of shortwave broadcasts. I hope you will review your plans and decide to reverse your decision to reduce the level of original programming broadcast on shortwave to Central Asia. Regards, Andrew Stroehlein14 Mar 2009 12:55:04 GMT
Thanks for the posting: After talking to some responsible persons at DW and others, who contacted DW on this, I'd like to add some aspects:
There will be no cuttings on Central Asia, Deutsche Welle says. Yes, they are right, but only when mixing quantity with quality. It would be the same as if CNN would only record one news show per day instead of 24 and re-broadcast this one 23 times a day. That's what to my knowledge DW is doing. So there will be no cutting in the quantity, but the team of Central Asia Programme will only have 9 minutes for production, instead of 20. As a fan of new media, I would be the last to criticize this form of information. But broadcasting to Central Asia means censorship in the net. Of course Kazakhstan is not comparable with Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan, therefore a programme reform has to take into account that Internet access in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan is not a civil right. I also hope that first plans to cut off Turkmenistan in total, because there is no Internet access available, are not on the table anymore. The DW guaranteed that they will still broadcast there via short wave. So the public debate finally got some results. Germany and its government is a key-player in the relations between the EU and Central Asia. The German Parliament to my knowledge guaranteed financial funds for a Central Asia Programme for another year. Therefore a programme reform at DW could mean a reform of quality and focus, but not cutting it and the team who covers the region. I am sure that the relevant directors, after the publication of their reform, will rethink those plans. Maybe it would be a good idea to talk with Central Asians at first, before starting off plans in the offices of cozy Bonn. Mike15 Mar 2009 11:06:23 GMT
After research and talks there seem to be plans at DW to focus on TAJ, KAZ and KYRG because of "free" internet access and the positive situation of local correspondents. TURK and UZB, according to reliable sources, won't be a DW focus anymore, without having correspondents there (persecution, no freedom of speech, etc.) and a free internet. If this is true, I am sure international NGO's would be more than happy to provide DW with independent and reliable informations about TURK and UZB, cause they all have sources in those states: I am thinking of Eurasian Transition Group, Institute for War & Peace Reporting, neweurasia, Open Society.