New Media Group Created From Disgraced Official's Assets
New Media Group Created From Disgraced Official's Assets
The takeover of a private media group that used to belong to the Kazak president’s former son-in-law, Rahat Aliev, will reduce the variety of information available even further, say NBCentralAsia observers.
Last week, the Alma-Media Holding, formerly owned by Aliev, was transformed into a limited company called the Kazakhstan Today Agency. It is headed by a former press-secretary to the president, Janay Omarov, who was previously head of the state-run Kazinform news agency.
Omarov insists the new groups will maintain continuity in the content of the various media it has taken over, which include the popular Karavan newspaper, KTV television channel and Kazakstan Today news agency.
Aliev, who was married to President Nursultan Nazarbaev’s daughter Dariga, was sacked as ambassador to Austria in May after he was accused of being involved in the kidnapping of two former heads of a commercial bank of which he was a major shareholder.
Kazakstan has requested his extradition, but Austria has refused to hand him over, saying that he would not get a fair trial.
NBCentralAsia observers in Kazakhstan say that the takeover shows the government is wielding more influence in the media and the information available is becoming increasingly homogenous.
Political analyst Eduard Poletaev argues that while Karavan, KTV and Kazakstan Today may look the same as before, they will be stripped of sensitive political content.
“This group will not pose any threat to the powers that be…. It has ended rather conveniently for the authorities,” he said.
Human rights activist Rozlana Taukina says the change of ownership was not done in a transparent manner, and the government has flouted laws which state that a new media organisation cannot use a company name that already exists. The media group bears the same name as the Kazakstan Today news agency which now forms part of it.
“There’s now a new method where you don’t even have to buy out [a business, bankrupt it or get a court order for its closer. You simply appropriate someone else’s name, popularity ratings and market, without creating a fuss or a scandal,” said Taukina.
She predicts that the media outlets themselves will remain as popular as ever. “The only difference is that they will no longer be subservient to the views of the unfortunate Rahat Aliev,” she added.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
Last week, the Alma-Media Holding, formerly owned by Aliev, was transformed into a limited company called the Kazakhstan Today Agency. It is headed by a former press-secretary to the president, Janay Omarov, who was previously head of the state-run Kazinform news agency.
Omarov insists the new groups will maintain continuity in the content of the various media it has taken over, which include the popular Karavan newspaper, KTV television channel and Kazakstan Today news agency.
Aliev, who was married to President Nursultan Nazarbaev’s daughter Dariga, was sacked as ambassador to Austria in May after he was accused of being involved in the kidnapping of two former heads of a commercial bank of which he was a major shareholder.
Kazakstan has requested his extradition, but Austria has refused to hand him over, saying that he would not get a fair trial.
NBCentralAsia observers in Kazakhstan say that the takeover shows the government is wielding more influence in the media and the information available is becoming increasingly homogenous.
Political analyst Eduard Poletaev argues that while Karavan, KTV and Kazakstan Today may look the same as before, they will be stripped of sensitive political content.
“This group will not pose any threat to the powers that be…. It has ended rather conveniently for the authorities,” he said.
Human rights activist Rozlana Taukina says the change of ownership was not done in a transparent manner, and the government has flouted laws which state that a new media organisation cannot use a company name that already exists. The media group bears the same name as the Kazakstan Today news agency which now forms part of it.
“There’s now a new method where you don’t even have to buy out [a business, bankrupt it or get a court order for its closer. You simply appropriate someone else’s name, popularity ratings and market, without creating a fuss or a scandal,” said Taukina.
She predicts that the media outlets themselves will remain as popular as ever. “The only difference is that they will no longer be subservient to the views of the unfortunate Rahat Aliev,” she added.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
