DUSHANBE, September 25, 2009, Asia-Plus — A roundtable meeting formally titled “Developed Media – Guarantee of National Security of Tajikistan” has opened in Dushanbe today morning.
Organized by public association Homa in cooperation with Tajik Journalists’ Union with support from Internews Network, the meeting has brought together representatives from President’s Executive Office, State Committee for investments and State-owned Property Management (GosKomInvest), State Committee for National Security (GKNB), licensing commissions, public associations and international organizations active in the country as well as lecturers from Dushanbe universities and journalists to consider the possibility of cancellation of licensing production of audiovisual products in the country.
The source at Homa noted that the main objective of the event was in drawing once again the government’s attention to that problem. According to him, representatives of Tajik media community have conducted a series of regional and international roundtable meetings and conferences on this problem in recent years. “In their appeal to the president and the parliament, journalists have offered the cancellation of licensing the production of audiovisual products,” he said, noting that the cancellation of licensing would promote further development of media and the national audiovisual content.
“It is necessary, first of all, for ensuring security of national on-air broadcasting space and access of Tajik citizens to socially significant information,” said the source. “Today, an information vacuum occurred in the country, and therefore, the majority of people prefer to watch TV channels of more developed countries. Not to lose audience, the country needs national independent broadcasters that would represent interests of the whole society and offer various news and educational programs that would allow expanding production of national audiovisual products.”
Information on solution of licensing problem within the framework of the national program, Improvement of Entrepreneurial Environment – 200 Days of Reforms, will be presented at the meeting and its participants will discuss the possibility of cancellation of licensing the production of audiovisual products in Tajikistan.
