Kyrgyz state radio suspends BBC broadcasts http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gDvUn4d1bW- TIEdv6CGRlflqIz2wD94SJPMO0 By LEILA SARALAYEVA - 1 day ago
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (AP) - Kyrgyzstan's state radio station has taken BBC programming off the airwaves, days after withdrawing broadcasting rights from U.S.-funded Radio Liberty's Kyrgyz Service. The British broadcaster said Friday on its Web site that no explanation was given for the suspension, but negotiations are ongoing with the head of the Kyrgyz National Television Corporation in hopes of resolving the situation. Melis Eshimkanov, who heads the state broadcaster, cited unspecified technical reasons for the suspension of BBC programs. Government pressure on the media in Kyrgyzstan has increased in recent years amid growing economic uncertainty in the impoverished Central Asian country. Most Kyrgyz people rely on state-controlled broadcasters as their main source of news. The BBC has broadcast news programs three hours daily on the state radio station in Russian and Kyrgyz. It has been operating in the former Soviet nation since the mid-1990s. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Kyrgyz Service, Radio Azattyk, also has had its radio frequencies withdrawn, which Eshimkanov said was due to shortcomings in contractual obligations. Radio Azattyk has declined to comment. Ata-Meken opposition party leader Omurbek Tekebayev said the move to shut down Radio Azattyk's broadcasts is part of a broader effort to clamp down on independent media in the country. "Radio Azattyk's news coverage has made it one of the most influential media concerns in Kyrgyzstan, as people in the regions always tune it to learn about the latest and most objective news on developments in the country," Tekebayev said. All Central Asian countries - which also include Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan - are ranked by international rights groups as the worst offenders for absence of free expression. Journalists have suffered the most severe harassment in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, where they are routinely subjected to intimidation and arrest. The BBC was forced to close its World Service operation in Uzbekistan by a campaign of official harassment after its coverage of the government's violent suppression of a protest in the eastern town of Andijan in May 2005. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America are also banned from broadcasting from within Uzbekistan. Please read and distribute this 15 year research article http://tinyurl.com/5vzg7e Please read my article on SINPO at http://tinyurl.com/yt7qjd ________________________ http://www.google.com/reader/shared/06600224598981072865 http://zliangas.blogspot.com (radio tech , gadgets, grk ethics) http://zlgr.stumbleupon.com (my social 'bookmarks' ) http://zlgr.multiply.com (radio monitoring site plus audio clips ) MAIN SITE http://www.youtube.com/zach0gr some videos http://www.worldisround.com/articles/302315/ (Litohoro) 321199/Tinos http://www.flickr.com/photos/zachgr pictures upload http://www.geocities.com/zliangas http://www.myspace.com/310100806 http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=770974854 http://del.icio.us/gr_geek1 ........ Zacharias Liangas , Thessaloniki Greece greekdx @ otenet dot gr --- Pesawat penerima: ICOM R75 , Lowe HF150 , Degen 1102,1103,108, Tecsun PL200/550, Chibo c300/c979, Yupi 7000 Antenna: 16m hor, 2x16 m V invert, 1m australian loop ---[Start Commercial]--------------------- Order your WRTH 2008: http://www.hard-core-dx.com/redirect2.php?id=wrth2008 ---[End Commercial]----------------------- ________________________________________ Hard-Core-DX mailing list [email protected] http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/hard-core-dx http://www.hard-core-dx.com/ _______________________________________________ THE INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE IS FREE. It may be copied, distributed and/or modified under the conditions set down in the Design Science License published by Michael Stutz at http://www.gnu.org/licenses/dsl.html
