DUSHANBE, October 2, Asia-Plus — “Journalistic community of Tajikistan should concern with self-regulation issues itself, otherwise the government will concern with this issue and self-regulation will turn into regulation,” Nouriddin Qarshiboyev, head of the National Association of Independent Media of Tajikistan (Nansmit), remarked at the 9th Central Asia Media Conference, titled “Developing Media Self-Regulation in Central Asia: Towards Independent and Responsible Media,” yesterday.
Speaking at the conference he also reported on the current situation of adopting a code of ethics in Tajikistan and prospects of media self-regulation in the country.
According to him, there has been a great deal of talk among journalists about the necessity of establishing and running press councils and elaborating the ethical code of conduct for journalists, but if media do not establish their self-regulation body themselves, the government will establish it.
“Practice has shown that that if the government concern with establishing the self-regulation body, it will be regulation by means of adoption of laws and by-laws,” the Nansmit head said.
The Nansmit head said the ethical code of conduct for journalists is expected to be presented in Tajikistan in early 2008.
