Голос Америки» планирует полностью упразднить свои программы на узбекском языке

[Zamon]

Голос Америки» планирует полностью упразднить свои программы на узбекском языке
06.02.2007 11:51 msk

Взгляд
Совет по международному вещанию (СМВ) США рекомендует радиостанции «Голос Америки» в 2008-м финансовом году, наступающем для правительства США 1 октября сего года, полностью упразднить свои программы на узбекском и грузинском языках, а также сократить вещание на Украину, сообщает «Взгляд».

«Голос Америки» хочет свернуть ряд радиопередач, но сохранить телевещание на русском языке. Это предусмотрено бюджетной заявкой администрации, обнародованной сегодня, 6 февраля, в Вашингтоне. Одновременно власти США предлагают не только сохранить, но и расширить русскоязычное вещание своих радиостанций РС/РСЕ в ультракоротком диапазоне. В целом, как сообщил представитель СМВ США Лэрри Харт, на финансирование деятельности всех подконтрольных Совету телерадиоголосов на российском направлении в 2008 году запрошено 14,1 млн. долларов против 14,9 млн. долларов в текущем году.

Планы организации информационно-пропагандистского телерадиовещания США плотно увязаны с внешнеполитическими приоритетами администрации страны. Соответственно они включают расширение программ, нацеленных на Ближний Восток, Иран, Афганистан и Пакистан, а также мусульманскую аудиторию в Европе. Под прицелом американской пропаганды остаются и другие «ключевые» регионы мира, включая КНДР, Кубу и Венесуэлу, страны Африканского Рога. В связи с этим СМВ США приходится «сворачиваться» на других направлениях.

istochnik ferghana.ru


Uzland what is going on? i thought Central Asia is priority especially now for USA, its all about money?

[melo]

I don't think central asia was ever a priority for the US. I think they have bigger issues to deal with now.

[UzLand]

Uzland what is going on? i thought Central Asia is priority especially now for USA, its all about money?

Бизни куролмайдиганлар ана энди хурсанд булади:)

А так, матбуот эркинлигини химоя килмокчи булсаларингиз, петиция килиш керак.

[JoJ]

Uzland aka, nimaga endi forum.uz 24/7 otirishizni endi bildim, tem bolee moderatorlikkayam ishga kirvoldiz;)

[Zamon]

Бизни куролмайдиганлар ана энди хурсанд булади:)

А так, матбуот эркинлигини химоя килмокчи булсаларингиз, петиция килиш керак.

so its ture.....there is only few source of information bbcuzbek, ozodlik and VOA, thats very strange that they want shut it down. you guys have to tell that in live program so everyone knows about this news.

[UzLand]

so its ture.....there is only few source of information bbcuzbek, ozodlik and VOA, thats very strange that they want shut it down. you guys have to tell that in live program so everyone knows about this news.

working on it:)

[melo]

so its ture.....there is only few source of information bbcuzbek, ozodlik and VOA, thats very strange that they want shut it down. you guys have to tell that in live program so everyone knows about this news.

And it is good for this information to be coming from the US and England? I didn't know it was the western world's job to provide news to central asia. Isn't this why people think Americans interfere too much in other country's politics? It is good in this example?

[bacha]

Just for the sake of freedom of speech, we could organize a petition here on the forum.

A letter, and real names of forum users. Because of confidentiality considerations, names will be sent via PM to the one who takes responsibility of sending the petition.

[Zamon]

ok then do we uzbeks have ALTERNATIVE OPTION? from where they can get true information? Axborot? No and you know that, uzbek service of radio Saudi Arabia or radio Meshkhed? i dont even understand that uzbek, in one they speak half arabic and uzbek about king Faysal second praise lutanic Ahmenijad, current Government of Uzb cannot or not want provide with real news to people, Europe and USA u can talk about everything, so far only these countries can give us something real. I am sad that they want shut down VOA, when i was back at home i always listen this radio station.

[melo]

ok then do we uzbeks have ALTERNATIVE OPTION? from where they can get true information? Axborot? No and you know that, uzbek service of radio Saudi Arabia or radio Meshkhed? i dont even understand that uzbek, in one they speak half arabic and uzbek about king Faysal second praise lutanic Ahmenijad, current Government of Uzb cannot or not want provide with real news to people, Europe and USA u can talk about everything, so far only these countries can give us something real. I am sad that they want shut down VOA, when i was back at home i always listen this radio station.


So you are not worried about a western slant on all the news? :shock:

[Zamon]

So you are not worried about a western slant on all the news? :shock:

they not all slant, i am kinda worry but not that much

[UzLand]

So you are not worried about a western slant on all the news? :shock:

Have you listened to it once?

[melo]

Just for the sake of freedom of speech, we could organize a petition here on the forum.

A letter, and real names of forum users. Because of confidentiality considerations, names will be sent via PM to the one who takes responsibility of sending the petition.

Do you think the US government, which is basing this decision on foreign policy, is going to be concerned with the opinion of foreigners on how they spend their money? :rolleyes:

[UzLand]

Do you think the US government, which is basing this decision on foreign policy, is going to be concerned with the opinion of foreigners on how they spend their money? :rolleyes:

First of all, it was not the US government's decision, but rather Broadcasting Board of Governors'.

Secondly, yes, the government will listen to the opinions of foreigners if that's who they want to target and if they want to achieve something in those countries.

[bacha]

Do you think the US government, which is basing this decision on foreign policy, is going to be concerned with the opinion of foreigners on how they spend their money? :rolleyes:

There are some forum users with US citizenship. And, they really do consider our, non-citizen opinions as well.

I am sure their decision is based on the fact that they thought the money is wasted, and the radio is not listened, or does not bring back the exptected results.

Back in Tashkent, many years ago, I used to listen to this radio as the only alternative opinion.

There should be many voices, however radical some of them might not be. People should have choice.

[melo]

First of all, it was not the US government's decision, but rather Broadcasting Board of Governors'.

Secondly, yes, the government will listen to the opinions of foreigners if that's who they want to target and if they want to achieve something in those countries.

It is not a private radio channel that is concerned with what its listeners want. :D It is done to serve a purpose and I think that purpose has been downgraded for other foreign policy issues.

[UzLand]

this is the latest I have...

considering that VOA Uzbek radio has been reinstated in June of 2005 and bearing in mind that it takes time to gain new audience and regain the old audience and that these are results for November-December 2005, I would guess that now the audience should be even higher.

[melo]

There are some forum users with US citizenship. And, they really do consider our, non-citizen opinions as well.

I am sure their decision is based on the fact that they thought the money is wasted, and the radio is not listened, or does not bring back the exptected results.

Back in Tashkent, many years ago, I used to listen to this radio as the only alternative opinion.

There should be many voices, however radical some of them might not be. People should have choice.

I don't see if it matters if there are any US citizens on the forum (and I don't think there are many). Do the US citizens on the forum get to decide foreign policy? :lol: I also think it is funny that you are happy with reporting financed directly from the US government.

[UzLand]

It is not a private radio channel that is concerned with what its listeners want. :D It is done to serve a purpose and I think that purpose has been downgraded for other foreign policy issues.

You don't get a bigger picture:

Why should US be interested in broadcasting to Uzbekistan?

1) After all the American organizations have been kicked out of the country, VOA is the only remaining bridge linking Uzbeks to America or vice-versa.

2) On the eve of historic political changes in Uzbekistan, one would expand, but not eliminate the service.

3) Uzbekistan is still a key country to US interests both from democratic and security points of view

4) Democrats that make up the majority of the Congress should least of all be associating itself with closing the service thus undermining efforts to implicitly promote democracy and human rights

5) Audience is not just Uzbeks in Uzbekistan, but also a few million Uzbeks in Afghanistan and if this country is US priority than you should be concerned with what the Afghan population in the north wants.

6) By closing the service you, as the US government, would send a wrong message to the government of Uzbekistan...

[UzLand]

I don't see if it matters if there are any US citizens on the forum (and I don't think there are many). Do the US citizens on the forum get to decide foreign policy? :lol: I also think it is funny that you are happy with reporting financed directly from the US government.

You are so great at discouraging people. By keeping yourself from discouraging others you will accomplish more. Because if you don't believe in yourself, let others do it. If you think you can't make a change, let others make that change for you.

You are one of the most pessimist users I've seen in this forum.

[melo]

You don't get a bigger picture:

Why should US be interested in broadcasting to Uzbekistan?

1) After all the American organizations have been kicked out of the country, VOA is the only remaining bridge linking Uzbeks to America or vice-versa.

2) On the eve of historic political changes in Uzbekistan, one would expand, but not eliminate the service.

3) Uzbekistan is still a key country to US interests both from democratic and security points of view

4) Democrats that make up the majority of the Congress should least of all be associating itself with closing the service thus undermining efforts to implicitly promote democracy and human rights

5) Audience is not just Uzbeks in Uzbekistan, but also a few million Uzbeks in Afghanistan and if this country is US priority than you should be concerned with what the Afghan population in the north wants.

6) By closing the service you, as the US government, would send a wrong message to the government of Uzbekistan...


I think democrats in the US are trying to focus more on US problems instead of global ones. I have always thought the democratic party was less interested in global issues than the republican party. That is how they got elected and I don't think they will boraden anything throughout the world (especially more democracy building crap that has been shown as worthless). I am positive no US citizens would care if the democrats stop trying to promote democracy thorughout the world. If anything that would help them get re-elected. I don't beleive the US military or other organizations operates in Northern Afghanistan.

[melo]

You are so great at discouraging people. By keeping yourself from discouraging others you will accomplish more. Because if you don't believe in yourself, let others do it. If you think you can't make a change, let others make that change for you.

You are one of the most pessimist users I've seen in this forum.

I am aginst foreign influences and imperialism. I also think my point about the US government not caring about its own citizens ideas is true. They definitley don't care about foreign citizens opinions. That is very un-american. :lol:

[MUHLIS]

Ba'zi birlar endi buni amerikaliklar o'rta osiyoda ruslarning qayta nazorat o'rnatganining belgisi deb bilsalar ajab emas. Anavi yuvindixona saytdagi yangilikda ham shunday kayifiyat hidi ufurib turibdi.
Urushda bo'lgan mamlakat ikkinchi darajali narsalardan voz kechib urush uchun pul to'plashi tabiiy hol. Asli sababi shu.

[UzLand]

U.S. budget proposal harms press freedom in Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tibet and China by Ted Lipien

FreeMediaOnline.org Free Media Online, San Francisco, Feburary 6, 2006 -- The Bush Administration's federal budget proposal for FY2008 offers good news to dictators, authoritarian rulers and suppressors of press freedom in a number of countries and regions. The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) - a bipartisan body in charge of all U.S. international broadcasting - confirmed plans reflected in the FY2008 budget proposal for eliminating Voice of America (VOA) radio broadcasts in Russian, closing down VOA Uzbek radio service, reducing Tibetan broadcasts by VOA and Radio Free Asia (RFA), and stopping VOA and RFA broadcasts in Cantonese. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty programs to Kazakhstan will be reduced under this budget. The White House and the BBG also want to eliminate or reduce VOA and RFE/RL programs to the Balkans, where some media outlets continue to stir ethnic hatred. Many hours of VOA English broadcasts heard around the world in countries without free media are also scheduled for elimination.

It's true that the Bush Administration's FY2008 budget calls for enhancing U.S. broadcasting to countries that are some of the worst violators of human rights and press freedom: North Korea, Iran and Cuba. But the BBG again failed to convince the budget planners at the White House that media freedom is also under severe threat in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tibet and China.

FreeMediaOnline.org, a nonprofit organization founded to support freedom of the press, describes these proposed cuts and reductions in U.S. international broadcasting as a "gift to dictators and suppressors of press freedom." Whenever budget cuts become necessary to pay for new
programs to countries and regions where freedom of expression is suppressed, the BBG inevitably relies on cutting programs to audiences which are also deprived of free media but are less important for the foreign policy goals of the Administration.

This lack of consistency sends a terrible signal to defenders of freedom and courageous journalists around the world. Some of them, like independent Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, paid with their lives for exposing human rights violations and participating in VOA Russian radio programs, which the White House and the BBG plan to eliminate.

Even if the White House refused to provide more money, the BBG could have saved these important broadcasts if it tried to reform the enormous bureaucracy of its program support divisions. Violators of press freedom in Russia, China, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan must be pleased that the BBG, which has both Republican and Democratic members, does not have the courage to stand up to the Administration or to reform its operations.

Administration officials and the Broadcasting Board of Governors took the easy way out by rewarding dictators and betraying defenders of press freedom in Russia and in other media-at-risk countries and regions. The U.S. Congress should refuse to accept these cuts and demand from the White House and the BBG a consistent U.S. international broadcasting strategy in support of freedom.

[MUHLIS]

Umid qilamanki bu narsalar vaqtinchalik. Chunki O'zbek tilidagi dasturga ketadigan bir yillik mablag' urushga ketadigan bir kunlik mablag'dan ham oz bo'lsa kerak. Shuning uchun ham men bu harakatni pul tejashning eng oqilona usuli deb hisoblamayman.

[UzLand]

Umid qilamanki bu narsalar vaqtinchalik. Chunki O'zbek tilidagi dasturga ketadigan bir yillik mablag' urushga ketadigan bir kunlik mablag'dan ham oz bo'lsa kerak. Shuning uchun ham men bu harakatni pul tejashning eng oqilona usuli deb hisoblamayman.

АКШнинг Ирок ва Афгонистондаги 50 минг та кушини битта обед килса (10 доллардан), Америка овозининг бир йиллик бюджети келиб чикади:)

[Ted]

In FreeMediaOnline.org story by Ted Lipien, the correct date should be February 6, 2007.

[UzbekGirlie]

I am aginst foreign influences and imperialism. I also think my point about the US government not caring about its own citizens ideas is true. They definitley don't care about foreign citizens opinions. That is very un-american. :lol:

What country does care about foreign citizen's oinions. None that I am aware of. As far as Americans I think their opinions are heard if needed be.

[melo]

What country does care about foreign citizen's oinions. None that I am aware of. As far as Americans I think their opinions are heard if needed be.

In this example they definitley do not care about US citizens oppinion. I was just telling them that they don't need to bother writing to the US government to tell them that they want VOA Uzbek to continue.

[UzbekGirlie]

In this example they definitley do not care about US citizens oppinion. I was just telling them that they don't need to bother writing to the US government to tell them that they want VOA Uzbek to continue.

Why? VOA Uzbek serves to purpose to US citizens. I know i stopped listening to it- for past year and half or may be more it has sucked...

[melo]

Why? VOA Uzbek serves to purpose to US citizens. I know i stopped listening to it- for past year and half or may be more it has sucked...

What service does it provide to US citizens?

[UzLand]

In this example they definitley do not care about US citizens oppinion. I was just telling them that they don't need to bother writing to the US government to tell them that they want VOA Uzbek to continue.

Zzzz, you have a great logic. Why bother to breath? You will die someday anyways. Why put make up? Even the most beautiful girl gets old and ugly.

On the other hand, VOA doesn't care about US citizens. They are not its target audience. Therefore they will listen to foreigners' opinions - the main target audience.

[melo]

Zzzz, you have a great logic. Why bother to breath? You will die someday anyways. Why put make up? Even the most beautiful girl gets old and ugly.

On the other hand, VOA doesn't care about US citizens. They are not its target audience. Therefore they will listen to foreigners' opinions - the main target audience.


Obviously they do not care. :lol: Did you read your own article that you posted? :rolleyes:

Maybe they can write to them and say they want Americans to leave Iraq or not invade Iran? Maybe they can ask them to stop American imperialsim over the rest of the world? Do you think that would help too? Oh wait, that might contradict our first request. :P

[UzLand]

Obviously they do not care. :lol: Did you read your own article that you posted? :rolleyes:

Maybe they can write to them and say they want Americans to leave Iraq or not invade Iran? Maybe they can ask them to stop American imperialsim over the rest of the world? Do you think that would help too? Oh wait, that might contradict our first request. :P

Those who want to advance American principles and those are proposing to eliminate VOA are different people and different offices. The main purpose is to get the help of the target audience to prove to the second group that the first group is making a mistake. Besides asking to keep VOA Uzbek by the target audience perfectly fits the plans of the second group to advance the American influence and openness to the geography of the target audience, whereas in the cases of Iraq and Afghanistan, those two do not match. The audience may want them out, but the Us doesn't want to get out.

Capiche?

[melo]

Those who want to advance American principles and those are proposing to eliminate VOA are different people and different offices. The main purpose is to get the help of the target audience to prove to the second group that the first group is making a mistake. Besides asking to keep VOA Uzbek by the target audience perfectly fits the plans of the second group to advance the American influence and openness to the geography of the target audience, whereas in the cases of Iraq and Afghanistan, those two do not match. The audience may want them out, but the Us doesn't want to get out.

Capiche?

Either way I don't care. I am aginst funding for US imperialism around the world in any capacity. We both know the reason for dropping funding is political. Maybe they are making friends with the Uzbek government or maybe they decided its not actually worth the time or money. Also, please show that average Afghanis want NATO troops to leave. I don't think you have evidence to support that point.

Maybe it would be better to find a group that actually cares about your country and get funding from them. You are a pan-turkist- why not ask Turkey?

[UzLand]

Either way I don't care. I am aginst funding for US imperialism around the world in any capacity.

Well this opinion of yours is definitely not cared much in the US government.

...and you'd better leave Uzbekistan in an information siege?

Also, please show that average Afghanis want NATO troops to leave. I don't think you have evidence to support that point.

I don't recall saying this...therefore I don't have to prove anything...

[melo]

Well this opinion of yours is definitely not cared much in the US government.

...and you'd better leave Uzbekistan in an information siege?
I do not see how this is the US government's problems or more specifically the US taxpayers problem (if the US had any democratic ideals). Unlike Iraq, it is not profitable for the US to spend so much money on Uzbekistan.

I don't recall saying this...therefore I don't have to prove anything...

It seemed to be inferred in this statement.

...whereas in the cases of Iraq and Afghanistan, those two do not match. The audience may want them out, but the Us doesn't want to get out.

[Ted]

Uzbekistan again faces U.S. broadcast cuts, programs to other countries without media freedom also at risk

by Ted Lipien

FreeMediaOnline.org Free Media Online, San Francisco, February 14, 2007 -- Coming as a good news for Islam Karimov, Uzbekistan's authoritarian ruler and suppressor of press freedom, the Bush Administration's federal budget proposal for FY2008 has revived plans for closing down Voice of America (VOA) Uzbek radio service.

This is the second time in recent years the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) - a bipartisan body in charge of U.S. international broadcasts - is trying to eliminate VOA radio programs to Uzbekistan. The BBG had stopped VOA Uzbek radio programs in August 2004, but the pressure from the U.S. Congress and human rights groups forced the BBG to resume them in June 2005.

With apparent approval from the White House, the BBG is again trying to end to VOA radio presence in Uzbekistan. In addition to VOA Uzbek radio programs, the BBG is also planning to eliminate or reduce U.S. taxpayer-funded broadcasts to Kazakhstan, Russia, Tibet and China -- countries viewed as major violators of media freedom and freedom of expression. Uzbekistan's Islam Karimov, Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Kazakhstan's authoritarian ruler Nursultan Nazarbayev and China's leader Hu Jintao have been all declared "Predators of Press Freedom" by the Paris-based nongovernmental organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

FreeMediaOnline.org, a California-based nonprofit group founded to support freedom of the press worldwide, described these proposed cuts and reductions in U.S. international broadcasting as a "gift to dictators and suppressors of press freedom." FreeMediaOnline.org believes that "this lack of consistency sends a terrible signal to defenders of freedom and courageous journalists around the world. Some of them, like independent Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, paid with their lives for exposing human rights violations and participating in VOA Russian radio programs, which the White House and the BBG plan to eliminate."

According to the BBG, these program cuts are necessary to fund expansion of U.S. broadcasts to Iran and to other major Muslim countries and regions. Critics have pointed out, however, that there are many other noncritical programs within the U.S. international broadcasting bureaucracy controlled by the BBG that could easily pay for new programming to the Middle East and the much needed enhancement of programs to countries like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia and China.

A former VOA official told FreeMediaOnline.org that the White House and the BBG have been outsmarted by the ex-KGB spy President Putin and former communists who had became authoritarian rulers in Central Asia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. These rulers forced local stations to stop their cooperation with VOA and RFE/RL. The BBG then used research data showing dropping audience figures for VOA and RFE/RL in these countries to justify its decisions to cut programs rather than try to help these services reach their audience through improved program delivery and innovative use of the Internet.

The BBG has also shown it has an extremely bad sense of timing -- yet another proof that its members, both Republicans and Democrats, have little experience in dealing with dictators. The first time the BBG announced its plans for eliminating VOA radio broadcasts to Russia was just before President Putin's media regulators forced most Russian stations to drop rebroadcasts of VOA and RFE/RL programs and shortly before the still unsolved murder of independent Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya. While the Kremlin was clamping down on independent stations in Russia, some BBG members were still trying to negotiate with the Putin government to allow U.S.-funded broadcasters greater access to the Russian media market. The BBG's second announcement about Russian radio program cuts came just before President Putin launched a major ideological attack on the United States in a recent speech in Munich. U.S. experts familiar with Russia have described Mr. Putin's speech as a clever propaganda move designed to deflect criticism of his anti-democratic policies.

The Bush Administration and the BBG also miscalculated in betting that Uzbekistan would move toward democracy and closer relations with the U.S. The assumption was that Uzbekistan would not need VOA programs that offended its leader who had allowed American military bases to operate on his country's territory. But after VOA Uzbek radio broadcasts had been taken off the air in 2004, Uzbek troops fired into a crowd of protesters in an attempt to squash civil unrest in the eastern city of Andijan, Uzbekistan in May 2005. Estimates of those killed in the Andijan massacre ranged from between 187 and 1,000 people. The Karimov government blamed the protest on Islamic terrorists -- a claim rejected by international human rights organizations, the EU and the U.S. Mr. Karimov also suspected American and British governments of promoting the protests through the work of Western-supported NGOs. With encouragement from President Putin, Mr. Karimov told the U.S. to remove its military bases from Uzbekistan.

Administration officials and the Broadcasting Board of Governors took the easy way out by rewarding dictators and betraying defenders of press freedom in Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tibet, China, and in other media-at-risk countries and regions. The U.S. Congress should refuse to accept these cuts and demand from the White House and the BBG a consistent U.S. international broadcasting strategy in support of freedom.

FreeMediaOnline.org is ready to offer informational assistance to every independent journalist and media outlet working to support freedom of the press and democracy. For more information about this article or FreeMediaOnline.org send an email to contact@freemediaonline.org or call 1-415-793-1642.

[UzLand]

"Silence of America" by Washington Post
Cutting the VOA's presence in Mr. Putin's neighborhood

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/15/AR2007021501583_pf.html

[UzLand]

IWPR.

Threat to VOA Uzbek Service

http://www.iwpr.net/?s=b&p=bca&o=333327&l=EN

in Russian - http://www.iwpr.net/?apc_state=hENbbca333327&l=ru&s=b&p=bca&o=333327 (Медиа-пространство в Узбекистане сокращается)

[referee]

Uzland,

Just a question - could the move by BBG to cut VOA's Uzbek service be linked to the successful project by Uzbek gov-t to jam unwanted signals in Uzb-n?
Surely there must be other reasons why they want to cut funds, but I'm just curious about this one...

[UzLand]

Uzland,

Just a question - could the move by BBG to cut VOA's Uzbek service be linked to the successful project by Uzbek gov-t to jam unwanted signals in Uzb-n?
Surely there must be other reasons why they want to cut funds, but I'm just curious about this one...

It would be a lame argument. Because I don't think Uzbek government's jamming equipment is far more powerful than the Soviet Union's. The only reason given was financial. But it is not a good one too since you can't really save much. I would say if all US troops stationed in Iraq skip their breakfast, they can save VOA Uzbek's annual budget:)

[-Resident-]

Qachon yopishmoqchi 2008 dami? A ishchilar nima qiladi boshqa bo`limlarda ishlayveradimi?

[UzLand]

http://www.registan.net/index.php/2007/02/16/radio-silence

[UzLand]

http://eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav022207a.shtml

http://eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav022207.shtml