ALMATY (TCA) — A two-day regional conference on major trends and developments in the media in Central Asia, entitled #MediaCA, concluded on 28 September in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The conference was supported by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
Some 100 media professionals, including editors-in-chief and programme directors of regional independent television and online media from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and the Russian Federation discussed how media outlets are evolving in Central Asia, the OSCE Programme Office in Astana reported. The focus of the debate was on issues such as marketing and advertising sales, new formats and online media measurement, as well as on laws governing the media in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.
During the presentations and master classes, the participants learned how to produce informative and commercially viable content and develop practical recommendations for managing media companies in the digital era.
The conference was co-organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, in cooperation with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Internews Kazakhstan and International Media Service.
The event was part of the Office’s activities to promote freedom of expression and access to information in line with OSCE principles and commitments.
In recent years, independent media organizations in Central Asian countries have faced mounting pressure from government authorities which often use the issue of combating extremism as a pretext for cracking down on opposition media outlets.
