Home> Archive> 2016> Volume 6 Number 12 (Dec. 2016)
IJSSH 2016 Vol.6(12): 909-912 ISSN: 2010-3646
doi: 10.18178/ijssh.2016.V6.771

Post-Soviet Politicized Media and Free Press within the Context of Central Asian Countries

Gönül Cengiz

Abstract—Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) were shaped their whole life by the Soviet rules since 1922 when came under the domination of USSR as colonial. Mass media of the Soviet Union countries carried out one communist party regime based politics was also used in accordance with the purpose and the wishes of this party. Trying to control or giving direction to this area by political actors in almost all communist theories under the influence of mass communication systems was discussed. Historical background of the Central Asian Republics was pushed “the media to being politicized” (Hallin and Mancini 2004, 61). The media adopted the spreading of Soviet ideology and the transmitting this to the community as the main task was seen as all of the political life, not as part of it. The Central Asian countries gained their independence could not escape from political situation of the media in the Post-Soviet period as well. The vast majority of journalists and media organizations operating in the country are directly or indirectly connected to politicians. The leaders of the mass media in this country have "good relations" with the ruling politicians. Articles on order and with the purpose of elevating or defamation someone are in common in newspapers. At the same time, there are confidential censorship and self-censorship by the pressure of political power in Central Asian countries where officially banned the censorship. The news to be published on television and the articles in newspapers are delivered to the community after they are reviewed and approved in advance in a hidden way. Opposition media is too weak in Central Asian countries and one-way power media continues its dominance in this sector. Free activity of the media held under government pressure and control is prevented continuously. Today and the future of the free press is under threat in these five Central Asian countries debarred from wide-ranging and pluralist media.

Index Terms—Central Asia, politicized media, post-soviet, free press.

G. Cengiz is with the Faculty of Communication, Marmara University, Turkey (e-mail: gonul.cengiz@marmara.edu.tr).

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Cite: Gönül Cengiz, "Post-Soviet Politicized Media and Free Press within the Context of Central Asian Countries," International Journal of Social Science and Humanity vol. 6, no. 12, pp. 909-912, 2016.

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