DUSHANBE, August 3, 2009, Asia-Plus — Tajik media organizations have applied to the government for assistance with mitigation of effects of the global financial crisis.
A joint statement, singed by 40 media heads and experts and released today, in particular, says that mass media, which are integral part of Tajikistan’s economy, are currently in extremely hard state because of negative impact of the global financial crisis.
Referring to the results of the latest independent survey of the state of print and electronic media in the country, they note that more than 90 percent of Tajik media have been affected by the global financial crisis, which has resulted in media’s incomes sharply decreasing. Circulations of many newspapers have decreased by 30%-40% following the fall in purchase requirement and the increase in prices of services and consumables as well as 70 percent decrease in advertising materials and commercial announcements in electronic media.
Tajik journalists note that in the majority of countries of the world, media enjoy special preferential regime or support from the government due to their special role in the public management system.
Many countries have tax privileges for media and provide subsidies for paper and printing services. For example, Kazakhstan has increased provision of governmental grants to media and financing of this sector, the statement said, adding that Tajik media are currently in desperate state and some of them are on the verge of bankruptcy.
Therefore, Tajik media community considers that the government ought to pay serious attention to this problem and take adequate measures to stabilize the situation in this sector; otherwise, lack of proper government’s support to state-run and private media may lead to closure of them that will seriously affect information security and image of the country.
Tajik journalists offer local state-run financial institutions to open a special credit to provide interest-free loans to media participating in the antic-crisis program or develop the program to provide state grants to media. They also propose to exempt media from paying VAT and income tax introduce during five years and assist with the establishment of a national network of realization of print media through reforming and optimizing work of the state-controlled post offices as well as removing limit on the number of newsstands in cities and districts of the country, including Dushanbe.
Media community also suggests that amendments to the country’s legislation for the purpose of liberalizing the TV and radio-broadcasting sphere through lifting licensing quotas for production of audiovisual products mentioned in this year’s president’s address to parliament.
These measures do not require considerable expenses; at the same time, these measures may solve problems facing media during the crisis period, the statement said.
