DUSHANBE, November 3, Asia-Plus — Media self-regulation and its benefits for media freedom was the focus of the Ninth Central Asia Media Conference that ended in Dushanbe yesterday. The conference resulted in adoption of a declaration.
The conference, organized jointly by the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media and the OSCE Centre in Dushanbe, brought together more than 100 journalists, media professionals and government officials, as well as international and local experts, to discuss media self-regulation and promote its development in Central Asia.
Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, added:
“Media self-regulation is not self-censorship. On the contrary, it is the journalists” strongest weapon for their independence. Only the professionally mature, self-conscious media can defend their freedom.”
Media self-regulation experts Ognian Zlatev, Taras Shevchenko and Eugene Abov, shared Bulgaria”s, Ukraine”s and Russia”s experiences of media accountability systems. Tamara Kaleeva, Nouriddin Qarshiboyev and Shamaral Maychiev presented the challenges and the first steps towards media self-regulation in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
