Baij-Team

NIT changing journalism in Kazakhstan

2006-12-08T01:47:00.000-08:00

Min-Ah Kim 20031349
Diana Kudaibergenova 20041761
Kim So Youn 20050758
Anel Ramazanova 20040410

Final Paper (Group project)

2006-12-08T00:27:00.000-08:00

Group topic: NIT changing journalism in Kazakhstan
Sub-topic: NIT changing print journalism in Kazakhstan
Name: Min-Ah Kim
ID: 20031349

My sub-topic in our group was “NIT’s affect on Print Media in Kazakhstan” and I did the investigation through interview and used sources from the Internet.
First of all, there was very little information on the Internet about NIT or Internet’s affect on print media in the particular country, Kazakhstan.
Secondly, I tried to give as much interviews to the Kazakhstani print media outlets’ editors and journalists as I could, via e-mail but only few of them have answered to my questions.
After the appearance of the Internet, with this new information technology, our society is changing very rapidly. And Internet had affected to Print Journalism, too. My findings will show how this New Information Technology has changed a particular country, Kazakhstan’s print journalism and does it benefit this society.
According to the source called ‘Kazakhstan in Brief’ (No author, www.kazakhembus.com) there are currently 1,200 newspapers and 500 magazines in Kazakhstan. It seems quite a big amount of newspapers and magazines are existing in Kazakhstan. Also in 2001 and 2002 Kazakhstan have officially started to run two Internet Data Centers, one in Astana and another one in Pavlodar. Each of them can serve 10,000 users. In Kazakhstan, more than half a million citizens have access to the Internet (No author, www.kazakhembus.com).
If to look at the print journalism and Internet, the most transparent change Internet brought to the Print Journalism is opening of the online version of the newspaper and magazine. Most print media in Kazakhstan is possessing and running their own site online, like Respublika- http://www.respublika.kz/, Izvestiya- http://www.izvestia.kz/, Kazahstanskaya Pravda- http://www.kazpravda.kz/, Vremya- http://www.time.kz/, Caravan- http://www.caravan.kz/, Business & Vlast- http://www.and.kz/, Delovoy Kazakhstan- http://www.dknews.kz/, Delovaya Nedelya- http://www.dn.kz/, Novoe pokolenie- http://www.np.kz/, Megapolis- http://www.megapolis.kz/ and Liter- http://www.liter.kz/. It is good to have such news websites, because we, as readers, can save our time, we can read the latest news reports and read it just on time when it was posted, unlike newspapers that we have to wait until the publications, we don’t need much space to read it on the other hands when we read newspapers, we have to secure some space because they are too extensive, we can read news online whenever, wherever we have access to the Internet and we don’t have to wash our hands after reading news on the Internet, on the other hands, after reading newspapers, we must wash our hands that were stained with ink from the newspapers. But there are also few negative points of reading news online. If we read news, or whatever it is, online, we might harm our eyesight, and sometimes it takes too long time to be lorded and not everybody has access to the Internet. So I think there are some negative and positive points of the online version of newspapers. And which are also can be called as changes on the readership belongs from NIT affected on print journalism.
To my questions of the interview, editors and journalists from ‘Nasha Gazeta’ and ‘Ak Zhaik’ answered. According to those interviews I took, the editors and journalists of those Kazakhstani newspapers said that Internet gives diversity of the information available for Journalists as they are able to get very quick consultations and could find competent experts by some mouse clicks on the Internet. And Internet diminished journalists’ responsibility to their readers directly. They told me they have ‘Q&A’ and ‘ask editors’ sections available on their websites for their readers. And it seems to be a very good evaluation in print journalism, because before the Internet invented, readers used to write letters to the editors which takes lots of time to send and to receive. But now, people can just enter to the particular newspapers’ website and write an e-mail or leave comments on their sites which promote two-way communications. Also interestingly my interviewees have mentioned that Internet is a tool which promotes freedom of speech, whereas I don’t totally agree with. I agree with that many journalists and citizens are fighting for freedom of speech and press freedom in Kazakhstan, the fact I could find in the article called ‘Kazakhstan in Brief’ (No author, www.kazakhembus.com) that was a phrase that in Kazakhstan, Democratic debate is becoming a common feature of Kazakhstan’s televised, print and online media. But according to the article ‘Kazakhstan country report on human rights practices 2005’ (Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, 2006) during the last year, the content of the websites were targeted for libel lawsuits and criminal charges, as in Kazakhstan law for libel is criminal (MSI, 2005). Also one online journalist, Sergei Duvanov, was severly beaten by unknown people for writing story "harming the honor and dignity" of the president Nursultan Nazarbaev (Paul Hales, 2002).
Through my study on this topic, I learned a lot and think Internet is a great tool for two-way communication, especially it gives chances for feedback, quick search of information, and advanced way of reading news in print journalism. But also, still we can not say in Kazakhstan people are guaranteed with freedom of speech as there are frequent violence and tortures on journalists.

Reference

Kazakhstan in Brief. No Author.
Available from: http://www.kazakhembus.com/Kazakhstan_in_Brief.html

Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. (March 8, 2006). Kazakhstan country report on human rights practices 2005.
Available from: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61656.htm

Media Sustainability Index Kazakhstan (MSI 2005).
Available from: http://www.irex.org/media/kazakhstan/index.asp

Paul Hales. (2002, September 6).
Available from: http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=5306

2006-12-07T21:58:00.000-08:00

NIT - the voice of Independence
By DIANA KUDAIBERGENOVA
Mass media is a vital part of any society – developed, undeveloped, democratic or authoritarian because nowadays information rules the world and manages minds of people. In 21st century like in any other time mass media is a ruler only in the right hands. The mass media of Kazakhstan may be characterized as a comparatively small number of media outlets of governmental ownership or of groups defending mostly ruling power and rarely cases of one or two independent media outlet. In such atmosphere of lacking diversity and independence, Internet along with new information technologies on-line help to the development of variety of opinions and pluralism.
The history shows that force could bring someone to power easily, e.g. Chingiz khan but in order to win hearts and minds and have longer power one needs to propagandize people through different channels of communications. The practice of using mass media in political purposes is known for long time but had been mostly and effectively used in the century of massive wars – 20th. In times of wars it is important to convince the population of war being useful and justified. Also propaganda through mass media is important when government is doing something illegitimate and must convince its population that everything goes well. The Soviet Union experience showed how people living in authoritarian country still admired it and didn’t see many minuses of the ruling power – they even cried and many didn’t want to dissolve the Union.
In Kazakhstan, the media can be divided into three groups – governmental protectors, independent and opposition protectors. Among first group one may distinguish government sponsored Kazakhstan TV channel that became well known after the scandal with ministry of culture and mass communication means – the top management of channel was dismissed by minister without legitimate evidence and claims about religious extremism. Khabar, El arna, Eurasia, NTK and KTK are part of one group – the family of Dariga Nazarbayeva and her husband Rahat Aliyev – these channels protect the ruling power although KTK sometimes criticizes some political aspects. Channel 31 and Tan can be described as independent and channel Hit TV is mostly musical and doesn’t concern any political means. Talking about newspapers – there are mostly governmental protectors, except for few independent – Respublica, Liter, Megapolis, Vremya and mostly economical Panorama. Oppositional newspapers are – Dat (former Soldat that had to change name because of law suits), Svoboda slova (Freedom of the speech) – the megaphone of opposition and Epoch – the newspaper of Ak zhol political party. Among the radio stations only channel 31 is independent, others support ruling power or are out of politics – Energy FM.
In such sphere of lacking independent opinions, the readers and opinion leaders turn to the new information technologies and as a part of it – Internet. Even thought the usage of Internet in Kazakhstan is not that intensive as it is in US or European Union, some people are able to access to Internet and share the information. The most important thing out of that is that mostly opinion leaders, smart people and the younger population who can form an independent view, free from propaganda one and spread it around.
Opposition newspapers and TV channels operated during the age of late 90s and beginning of 2000-2001 were closed and had to find a way for survival through transforming to some other media outlets. The Internet brought new variants for development of opposition media. Some newspapers opened their own web sites but then some of them were closed and people couldn’t get the access to such newspapers. The new era of blogging had brought a new solution for the survival. Now the independent journalist groups can form blogs and make it available for the readers. Also the electronic forums of opinions bring new solutions for the development of independent political views and opinions.
There are some examples of free speech on-line. The independent blog New Eurasia.net publishes on-line some interesting and independent views on the prohibition of right handed cars in Kazakhstan - http://kazakhstan.neweurasia.net/?p=203 and some interesting views on conflict between Kazakh and Turkish workers -http://kazakhstan.neweurasia.net/?p=206.
On the independent forums people discuss such things as current political system of Kazakhstan and who is going to become a new president. The interesting thing is that some students share an opinion that there’s going to be no candidate for president or no one would be able to take that position and work properly - http://www2/sgforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2735&whichpage=1.
Among other topics of discussions are the things on the world political arena – North Korea nuclear weapon program, Middle East conflicts, war in Iraq, US foreign policy and many others. Among the domestic problems, the most discussed ones are right-handed cars prohibition, the raising prices for the apartments in Almaty and Astana. The hottest topic of discussion in the opposition sources is the murders of famous opposition leaders – Zamanbek Nurkadilov and Altynbek Sarsenbayev. The investigations and court means still bring rumors and variety of opinions in the opposition world of Kazakhstan.
Some other topics and news are discussed on the other independent web site – www.ct.kz that also has a forum where people can discuss many political problems. Forums are very popular and secure enough because nobody really can trace or find out who registered and left comment. And that is the main benefit of such sources. Many interesting people leave their comments openly, freely on many political and economical issues.
That all brings me to a clear conclusion that although Kazakhstan doesn’t have many independent or oppositional media outlets, the independent opinions on politics and current situation are spread and shared. Unfortunately there are not many web sites on that topics and issues but the progress goes on.

Reference:
http://kazakhstan.neweurasia.net/?p=203
http://www2/sgforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2735&whichpage=1
www.ct.kz

New Internet Technologies is changing journalists in Kazakhstan.

2006-12-07T21:48:00.000-08:00

As the society has changed more technological, and with the growing of development of internet technology, Kazakhstani journalism has also developed - it has become globalized.
And in my opinion, without journalists there is no journalism – journalists are one of the most important primary factors in journalism. Therefore, as new information technologies are changing journalism, they are also bringing some changes to journalists – new development is always bring some changes. And I had an interview with Zumanova Botagoz, one of Kazakhstani journalists and works for online newspaper “Business & Power”, in order to know about her thoughts of effects that new information technologies have brought on journalists in Kazakhstan.

First of all, generally we can define journalists as the people who collect news and write about it for newspapers, magazines, television, and for their online websites in recent times. Then, what is the role of journalists in Kazakhstan? And of course, according to Zumanova Botagoz, the role of Kazakhstan journalists is not differ from the role of other countries’ journalists – they have to inform society about the most important evens of country, so they gather information, and show, tell about it to the public, explaining their opinions.

NITs (New information technologies) are changing journalists. To say more exactly, they have changed the ways of how journalists doing their works, not journalists themselves. And firstable, the biggest change, which NITs have brought is Global exchange of information - due to Internet, we can easy access to variety of information around world, and quick and fresh information make journalists save their time. Another change is easy editorial system – using various tools, help journalists to accomplish their works more efficiently. Finally, most effective and change is appearance of Online Journalism, that they did not have in the past - citizen journalism and blogs, and other people’s comments, additional materials posted to the articles, can help journalists to make better article and sometimes give wise useful recommendations. And Zumanova Botagoz introduce the sites “Heavy center” – http://http://www.ct.kz/, http://bb.ct.kz/ on of main site and blog of Kazahkstan which most of all journalists are active in.
However, there are also disadvantages of changes that NITs brought are that sometimes too many sources or useless information make journalists be more confused, also they decrease of journalists’ own styles of writing and reporting – with development of editorial system, editors easily can publish, changing the primary articles and that is, the journalists’ own writing styles are being reduced. And Zumanova Botagoz added another current problems of Kazahstan journalists – with the development of free and easy access of information, Kazakhstani journalists are scarce of practices nowadays, Kazahstani journalists who working with abundant information, have indifferences about that journalists they have scarce of practices to preparation for social opinion which is main instrument in western countries.

And some more problems are existing in Kazakhstan - as there are 2 died journalists (Askhat Sharipzhanov, Navigator, Almaty, Ruana Mann,TV channel NTK, Almaty) in Kazakhstan, some control of government or big companies do not allow to journalists press freedom. Also less university of Internet and not fast Internet speed cause slow development of online journalism.

In conclusion, Kazakhstani journalists think that "Internet eliminates borders, provides access to knowledge and information and brings opportunities to find new partners in the whole world.new information technologies have brought really many changes to journalists in Kazakhstan" And there are many advantages, but also disadvantages and some problems. However, Kazakhstani journalists should try to make better journalism using new information technologies.

NIT changes TV journalism of Kazakhstan

2006-11-05T09:13:00.000-08:00

“Hemingway once described the art of successful writing this way: ‘All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence you know,’ said George Lewis, Western Knight Center keynote speaker, “And I might add, in television, if the producer only gives you a minute-thirty, write the ten truest sentences you know – and raise hell for more time!” *

It’s hardly a secret that technology has changed, and is continuing to change, the way television news is produced and delivered. You should agree that as a result of rapid technological change, journalism as a profession has progressed significantly. As you know, the print revolution started with the invention of printing by Johann Gutenberg in the fourteenth century. The next important developments were the arrival of telegraph, telephones and radio. Parallel to these developments was the evolution of photography, motion picture photography and television. At the dawn of the television age, TV sets were more furniture than functional, small screens with a grainy picture shown in wooden boxes. And for decades, the model of how TV programming worked stayed the same: Shows came on at an appointed hour, lasted a set amount of time and were broken up with advertising. But today there is something of a revolution underway. This revolution isn't televised, but digitized. More and more, consumers can now be producers and create own programs.
Today in Kazakhstan the number of television stations are twelve and the number of television sets are equal to 3, 880,000.
In 2001 a reported 45 independent television and radio stations operated in Kazakhstan. These included 17 television stations, 15 radio stations, and 13 television-radio combinations. Eleven of the broadcasting stations were located in Almaty. A reported 37 television and radio stations were granted new licenses in 2000, in addition to the licenses held by existing radio and television broadcasting stations.*
By 2002 the president's eldest daughter, Dariga Nazarbayeva, was control the sphere of radio and television broadcasting in Kazakhstan. As BBC Monitoring observed, Nazarbayeva and her husband "have been the main beneficiaries of the privatization of formerly state-run media." Head of the Khabar information agency until 2001, the president's daughter controlled several television stations within the national television broadcasting network. As of mid-2002 two private television stations in the country—NTK and KTK—were owned by Dariga Nazarbayeva. And until Nazarbayeva's husband, Rakhat Aliyev, became embroiled in a political scandal in late 2001 involving allegations of efforts to replace Nazarbayev, the president's son-in-law owned a principal media holding company in Kazakhstan. By mid-2002 Aliyev was living in Vienna as Kazakhstan's ambassador to Austria. His wife continued to live and work in Kazakhstan.
The privately owned television stations Khabar and Caspionet, broadcasting in three languages Kazakh, Russian and English, are included among the holdings of the president's daughter and son-in-law and receive public funding. As to radio in the country, radio stations Europa Plus, Russkoye Radio, Radio Hit FM, all are privately owned by the same couple.
Besides Kazakhstan's broadcasting networks and stations, the British Broadcasting Corporation and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty broadcast programs accessible to Kazakhstani people.
During the past years Kazakhstani TV journalism has experienced significant changes. Our TV journalism are going to be developed as the Western style of journalism, for example such future journalists currently are studying at KIMEP:-) However right now, sometimes some new formats with new content could be seen on Khabar/Caspionet TV channels. There is a 31 TV channel which is more like independent not pro-presidential channel. Unfortunately, TV journalism still faces many social problems (people prefer not to give an interview, especially against Government), politicians interfering and does not report the facts as it is in reality. There are still limitations to achieve a fully independent media system, and Kazakhstani TV journalists have to deal with many problems when pursuing stories.
The changes could be seen through 24-hour cable TV news, offering the latest breaking headlines at any time of the day or night, represent an enormous structural advantage for cable over network television. Cable has become the television news medium of choice. Also there is a color changes in TV cartoons, it is became more colorful and professional made.*
Today new technologies have created a modern day information rich society. From the questionnaire survey I found that people (50 respondents) spent only half an hour every day reading a newspaper or magazine and more than three hours a day watching television.
Electronic news gathering and the satellite age have pushed television news deadlines back to the last minute of the program. News stories are able to be constantly updated and re-written. New technologies have broken down existing barriers to regional and international reporting as it is now possible to broadcast live from any destination in the world. The ability to report live is becoming an increasingly necessary skill in broadcast journalism.
Today journalists should have not only the ability to mentally organize information and know the basic info about story covering but also be able to use digital video and cameras, to edit their stories using special editing programs and how to use the internet sources.

Reference:
technological_changes_make_core_journalistic
Some info was taken: from personal interview with Maksut Zhakupbayev, the reporter of Khabar TV channel.
From seminar with guest speaker Tulegen Askarov, former director of "Respublika" newspaper.
Nespapers: "Respublika"
narrative_cabletv
journalism research_and_analysis
Live_Broadcasting
Kazakshtan journalism