Russian Broadcaster Takes Over News Channel
Russian Broadcaster Takes Over News Channel
The takeover of Kazakstan’s leading television news broadcaster by a Russian company will obstruct the development of media freedom, say NBCentralAsia media-watchers.
On September 4, Russian independent television broadcaster CTC Media announced that it is buying a majority stake in Kazakstan’s Channel 31 for 65 million US dollars.
The deal will give CTC a 20 per cent share in Channel 31 as well as majority ownership of the company that sells advertising and programming content for the broadcaster.
"These assets will give CTC Media with a right to 60 per cent of Channel 3’s income which it will be able to incorporate into its own income stream," said Alexander Rodnyansky, head of CTC.
The Kazak government took over Channel 31 in early August without following proper procedure when it acquired Alma-Media Holding, previously owned by the president’s disgraced former son-in-law Rahat Aliev.
For most Kazaks, television is the main source of news and Channel 31 is considered to be one of the leading news broadcaster.
NBCentralAsia media watchers say that the latest deal strikes a blow against freedom of speech.
Independent journalist Sergey Duvanov is concerned that Channel 31 will fall victim to a tendency in the Russian media to shy away from strong political criticism.
“Russia is not likely to bring in democracy. They have their own problems that may be even more acute than ours,” he said.
CTC Media concentrates on entertainment rather than news and Duvanov believes that informative programmes may now be sidelined.
“The objectivity of reporting may also be affected,” he said.
The channel is headed by Armanjan Baytasov, a known supporter of President Nursultan Nazarbaev.
Human rights activist Rozlana Taukina agrees that the deal will hinder the development of media freedom, but she points out that Channel 31 has always been influenced by the authorities, its news content may not actually change that much.
“One should not cherish illusions about freedom and independence. This channel was under control before and it will continue to be,” she said.
In the run up to the parliamentary election held on August 18 this year, the international watchdog group Reporters Without Borders criticised the government for clamping down on the media. It said that a televised debate between leaders of the opposition Social Democratic Party and the president’s Nur Otan party, aired on Channel 31 on August 9, was heavily edited to take out the former’s criticism of the political system and details of its own agenda.
“There is no hope that the channel will start operating as an independent broadcaster capable of standing up to the authorities,” said Taukina.
(NBCentralAsia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
On September 4, Russian independent television broadcaster CTC Media announced that it is buying a majority stake in Kazakstan’s Channel 31 for 65 million US dollars.
The deal will give CTC a 20 per cent share in Channel 31 as well as majority ownership of the company that sells advertising and programming content for the broadcaster.
"These assets will give CTC Media with a right to 60 per cent of Channel 3’s income which it will be able to incorporate into its own income stream," said Alexander Rodnyansky, head of CTC.
The Kazak government took over Channel 31 in early August without following proper procedure when it acquired Alma-Media Holding, previously owned by the president’s disgraced former son-in-law Rahat Aliev.
For most Kazaks, television is the main source of news and Channel 31 is considered to be one of the leading news broadcaster.
NBCentralAsia media watchers say that the latest deal strikes a blow against freedom of speech.
Independent journalist Sergey Duvanov is concerned that Channel 31 will fall victim to a tendency in the Russian media to shy away from strong political criticism.
“Russia is not likely to bring in democracy. They have their own problems that may be even more acute than ours,” he said.
CTC Media concentrates on entertainment rather than news and Duvanov believes that informative programmes may now be sidelined.
“The objectivity of reporting may also be affected,” he said.
The channel is headed by Armanjan Baytasov, a known supporter of President Nursultan Nazarbaev.
Human rights activist Rozlana Taukina agrees that the deal will hinder the development of media freedom, but she points out that Channel 31 has always been influenced by the authorities, its news content may not actually change that much.
“One should not cherish illusions about freedom and independence. This channel was under control before and it will continue to be,” she said.
In the run up to the parliamentary election held on August 18 this year, the international watchdog group Reporters Without Borders criticised the government for clamping down on the media. It said that a televised debate between leaders of the opposition Social Democratic Party and the president’s Nur Otan party, aired on Channel 31 on August 9, was heavily edited to take out the former’s criticism of the political system and details of its own agenda.
“There is no hope that the channel will start operating as an independent broadcaster capable of standing up to the authorities,” said Taukina.
(NBCentralAsia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
