Subject: OSH TV refuses to comply with the governmental decree to cease broadcasting.
From: Alisher Khamidov (alisher@infotel.kg)
Date: Wed Jul 05 2000 - 07:53:02 EDT
Osh Media Resource Center.
Press release.
On June 29, the Kyrghyz Republic's State Commission on Radio Frequencies
issued a decree that obliges OshTV - a private TV-station based in Osh,
southern Kyrghyzstan with the main language of broadcasting being Uzbek
and covering mainly Osh town's ethnic Uzbek audience- to cease
broadcasting on fifth VHF ( very high frequency) channel and to switch to
23rd channel on UHF ( ultra high frequency). The latter not only would
require special receivers from viewers to watch Osh TV programming, but
would also reach a smaller audience.
The decree dated 29 June and signed by the chairman of the State Commission,
Topoev Esen ( who is also Kyrghyzstan's defense minister) rejected Osh TV's
appeal to prolong its license to broadcast on VHF fifth channel, put a
deadline for ceasing Osh TV's broadcasting- 01.07.2000 ( July 1st), and
assigned the Kyrghyz National Agency for Communications to oversee the
implementation of the decree.
According to Khaliljan Khudaiberdiev, Osh TV director who had previously
contacted a number of governmental agencies in an effort to find support,
the State Commission's decree contradicts with the official position of the
presidential administration on Osh TV's case. Prior to this decree,
Khaliljan Khudaiberdiev received an offical letter on May 16 from the
Kyrghyz president's aide and press-secretary Osmonakun Ibraimov who informed
Osh TV director of the fact that National Agency for Communications has
prepared all relevant and necessary documents for prolonging the expiration
date of Osh TV's license on VHF broadcasting and that the solution will be
come out in the nearest future.
The issue of switching broadcasting frequency for Osh TV arose in October,
1997 when the newly formed National Agency for Communications revoked
licenses from all private TV stations in Kyrghyzstan for re-registration.
There were further efforts on the part of this agency to revoke Osh TV's
license in 1998, but they failed due to Osh TV's strong resistance. This
resistance allowed Osh TV to bring the case to the presidential
administration's attention. In March, 1999 the National Agency on
Communications, pressured by the president's administration, agreed to
allow Osh TV's broadcasting on VHF with the period of duration of 9 months.
After this period expired, Osh TV was obliged to switch to UHF broadcasting
on channel 23rd.
According to Khaliljan Khudaiberdiev, the process of changing from VHF to
UHF broadcasting is extremly costly for the station's budget. About 2
million soms (local currency) ( $42 675) is needed to change equipment and
infrustructure necessary for UHF broadcasting. More importantly, the change
of frequency can result in the loss of the majority of Osh TV audience
mostly ethnic Uzbeks). Mr. Khudaiberdiev did not rule out the possibility
that this process might lead to Osh TV's closing down.
The
A sign of worsening relations started with difficulties caused to private TV
stations in southern Kyrghyzstan (Pyramid -Osh, Keremet TV, Erkin Ala Too,
Mezon TV, DDD TV) by the governmental National Agency for Communications
and the Kyrghyz Teleradio Corporation before the local elections to
municipality councils in October 1999.
As most of these private TV- stations rent air time and broadcast on the
government owned UHF frequencies, they were not given any air time during
pre-election and election period on grounds that their equipment did not
meet the standards set by authorities. All of them were allowed to resume
broadcasting after the elections were over. Station directors believe that
the reason of this refusal was because the government wanted to give
authority controlled TV stations an opportunity to make more money during
the elections campaign period (the most lucrative time for media outlets to
increase revenues). Osh TV, which was then in position to broadcast during
the whole period because it benefited from an official license for its own
channel (channel 5), now faces difficulties with the administration.
Looking at the technicalities, Osh TV presently uses VHF channel 5 and the
radio frequency range on 97- mega hertz to disperse the sound of its
programming. But according to the official statement of the State Commission
on Radio Frequencies which refers to the international technical standards,
the radio frequency range from 88 mega hertz to 108 mega hertz is to be used
only for radio broadcasting, and that OshTV's progamming causes technical
problems for the radio broadcasting in the town of Osh. But at the same
time, the State Commission seems to approach the issue from a biased angle:
it did not issue similar statements and decrees toward a state controlled
TV-station -KTR (Kyrghyz Teleradio Company) that also uses channel 4 and 5
on VHF ( outside Osh area), and similar radio frequency range on mega hertz.
A number of analysts, including local journalists, believe that recent
developments with Osh TV can be closely related to upcoming rush of
presidential elections in Kyrghyzstan on 29 October. In their opinion,
authorities seem to make efforts to seize control over all key media outlets
which can have significant impact on public opinion before and during
elections.
On July 5th, 43 local journalists met in Osh Media Resource Center -OMRC to
discuss current situation and developments around and with:
a) Osh TV;
b) Moldosali Ibraimov - a Jalal Abad based journalist sentenced to 2 years
of imprisonment for libel;
c) Khakimjon Khusanov, editor-in-chief of Osh based TV-station Mezon TV who
is presently charged with incitement of ethnic hostilities;
d) general situation with the freedom of press and the media sector in
southern Kyrghyzstan.
As the result of the meeting came out an open letter to president Askar
Akaev about the situation in the mass
media sector in southern Kyrghyzstan and the situation with the freedoms of
journalists. The letter will be published in regional and capital media of
Kyrghyzstan.
If you wish to support journalists:
Recommended action:
To send letters to president of Kyrghyz Republic
(through his press secretary)
Tel: (996-3312) 22-59-14
Fax: (996-3312) 21-69-22
Through the head of the press service of President:
Tel: (996-3312) 22-59-14
Fax: (996-3312) 21-69-22; 21-86-27
E-mail: ghpress2@rhl.bishkek.su Tel:
For more information, please contact:
Alisher Khamidov
Osh Media Center
tel/fax: (996) 3222 20858
email: omrc3000@mail.ru
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