II Eurasian Media Forum - place to pose serious questions

24.04.2003

The whole National Press club was overcrowded with journalists from different media and different regions, even far from Kazakhstan on April 22. Media experts as well as prominent politicians and leaders of international organisations from 45 countries anticipate from the Second Media Forum, which started today, answers and opportunities to ask numerous questions concerning the present Iraqi conflict and other topical for journalists issues.

Chairwoman of organising committee Dariga Nazarbayeva introduced cochairman of the forum, the distinguished American journalist and director of RizKhan Production Riz Khan, who will participate for the second time, Sue Philips, leader of the London branch of the Eurasian Media Forum, Eva Evart, art director for "Correspondent" programme on BBC. Quite relevant was the question about other famous participants who were pointed in the program, such as Benazir Bhutto and so on. But, as it turned out, Benazir Bhutto will not come though she should have chaired "Islam and western Media" session. As Dariga Nazarbayeva explained "coincidentally tragic lot follows the individuals who are invited for the forum last and this year; circumstances in their private life prevent them to participate in the forum."
However, according to Riz Khan forum is an excellent opportunity to create a foundation for change of global issues, though the forum itself is unable to change the stream of events.

The delegates will discuss topical issues of the mass media development, issues of politics, economics and the strategic role of contemporary Eurasia in world politics, the strengthening of dialogue between East and West, the influence of agency journalism on public opinion, relationships with power, the development of latest know-how and mass media, increasing role of Internet and other topics.

One of the tough questions for discussion will be problem of relationship between power and journalists. Under special consideration of Kazakhstani situation will be the recent conviction of an opposition journalist Duvanov. Western representatives of mass media assured that even in their developed countries democracy and press freedom sometimes brought at stake. For instance, Riz Khan mentioned television news program journalists in US, who should have asked more questions, but they restrain themselves because they are patriotic.

Though the second Media Forum promises real openness in expressing of opinion some journalists from "Assandi Times" newspaper on the eve of the forum sent letters via e-mail that they could not participate at the discussions, because being accused in "fabricated suit" (according to the version of the accused journalists) they are likely to be arrested by the police. Anyway, the forum has enough potential to disclose some intricate issues of local journalism as well as global problem as a whole.

Source: The Almaty Herald Weekly
Author: Olesya Ivanova

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