The Impact of Almaty Declaration 1991 on Media Development: The Case of Kazakhstan

1. The Impact of Almaty Declaration 1991 on Media Development:The Case of Kazakhstan Rafis Abazov, PhD, Columbia University, USA Visiting Professor, Al Farabi KazNU, Kazakhstan

2. Abstract • This paper assesses the impact of Almaty Declaration (1991) on media development in Kazakhstan and on the dynamics of media policies and interaction between the government and Kazakhstan’s media since 1991. The author argue that the main contribution of the Almaty Declaration has been the development of policy framework for a dialogue between government officials and state institutions on the one hand and media community on the other hand. The establishment of this framework has helped to institutionalize those relations and had following impacts on media development in the country

3. Impact 1 • Established public policy and legal frameworks for replacing “redundant press laws inherited at independence” with laws that reflected new political realities and new information environment

4. Impact 2 • Facilitated the establishment of a series of national in-country and sub-regional training programs and seminars which covered many training needs;

5. Impact 3 • Identified the needs for new media skills including skills in management, marketing and various technical skills facilitating the introduction of those training programs at various universities across the country;

6. Impact 4 • Identified the need for establishment and promotion of access for independent journalists to training programs and facilities;

7. Impact 5 • Highlighted the needs for rights of women in the media and rights of minority groups within the societies that in turn led to creating a better environment for protecting rights of women in the media

8. Impact 6 • Supported the establishment of various independent media resource centers in Kazakhstan, including programs ran by various international entities such as OSI and some others;

9. Impact 7 • Identified the need for publishing new training materials, including manuals,, textbooks and various study materials, which helped to educate a new generatin of journalists;

10. Impact 8 • Identified the need for development of English language as a language of instruction in formal and non-formal education programs and helped the introduction of those programs at university levels

11. Impact 9 • Encouraged the state authorities to open media market and national media space for international players and international media outlets in printed media, TV and Radio;

12. Impact 10 • Identified the needs for support and development of an inter-country news exchanges and continuity of professional relations and cooperation between than newly independent republics

13. Looking forward • Work out follow up actions; • Develop recommendations, including policy recommendations; • Think about the development of framework in dealing with new media; • Establish an executive team or executive committee which work on new action plan • Make this conference a regular event