BBC restarts broadcasting in Kazakhstan

[17:34] 22/10/2003,
http://engArticles.gazeta.kz/art.asp?aid=35501

The BBC Kazakh press service restarts broadcasting its programmes on the territory of Kazakhstan. The date of the first programme broadcast is already known - it's Monday, 27 October, 19.00 of Astana time.

Last November Kazakh BBC service broadcasting was suspended for an indefinite term - there were not enough correspondents and presenters.

Five minute news that were broadcasted three times a day, as well as a weekly programme "Koz Karas" ("Look") were closed. Several months were needed to find professionals with good skills and energy.

Also in 2002 a competition among journalists was announced. Those who so wished could pass one written and two oral tests in three languages: Kazakh, Russian and English. It was a main condition - an excellent knowledge of all the languages in equal degree, plus editing skills, plus a readiness to work under pressure. Now such guys have been found. Out of many candidates, two were selected - Dina Zhansagym and Murat Kylyshbai.

Daulet Zhumadil already works several years in the Kazakh BBC service. From now on broadcasting will be carried out in a new format. The three young presenters will prepare and present daily half hour programmes, which will be broadcasted from London from Monday to Friday at 19.00 of Astana time.

- Despite the fact that today the cadre problem has been resolved, the BBC Kazakh service continues its search for talented journalists,- head of Central Asian and Caucasian service of BBC World Khamid Ismailov says. - We have already announced a competition for the best essay on the subject "What I would do if I were the head of BBC Kazakh service". The best competition participants will go to London for journalist courses.

Our reference:

The British Broadcasting Corporation (ВВС) was founded in 1920 and the BBC world service was formed in 1932. Arabic language was the first foreign language in which news started to be broadcasted abroad, afterwards programmes in Spanish were added. Today the BBC world service broadcasts in 43 language, it audience has exceeded 150 million people. Kazakh service is a part of Central Asian and Caucasian BBC service, including eight countries: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenia, Tajikistan and our republic. BBC in its activities is guided by the Royal charter, guaranteeing it independence from the government of Great Britain.

Financing of the corporation is carried out at the expense of payment for license, when each family, residing in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, pays 116 pound each annually. The amount of 2.65 million pound is a source of BBC world service financing. The UK parliament also allocated a financial grant to the BBC each year. Moreover neither the parliament, nor the government that controls the usage of allocated funds, have a right to interfere into editing activities of BBC.

The BBC Kazakh service will issue news bulletins and broadcast interviews with various analysts and political figures on events taking place in the world.

- The importance of Kazakh language is growing in Kazakhstan, especially among young audience. Therefore we have created a team of young journalists, - Daulet Zhumadil, producer of programmes, says. - Young audience is going to sympathise with their voices. Their modern approach towards coverage of world news for Kazakhstani audience and events in Kazakhstan - for the rest of the world.

The work of the service based in London, is supported by a network of stringers in Astana, Almaty, Tashkent and Moscow.

The BBC Kazakh service also uses a world service news infrastructure that doesn't have equivalent in the world, consisting of 250 special correspondents, working in 45 BBC bureaus in the whole world. Trustworthy information is the main principle of BBC.

-There can various truths around, but the truth is one, -Murat Kylyshbai, BBC Kazakh service presenter, says.- Briefly, I would describe our programme exactly in these terms. Today the information plays a grandiose role in the life of every man. Strength is in knowledge, as our ancestors used to say. On our part, we apply all possible efforts to provide our radio audience with trustworthy objective information. I sincerely hope that in our programmes each will find something interesting and useful.

The BBC Kazakh service broadcasts its programmes on medium and short waves. Kazakh speaking audience in the whole world can listen to the service programmes on an internet web-site www.bbckazakh.com.

Photo: Daulet Zhumadil, BBC Kazakh service journalist