Media & Human Rights Groups Voice Concern Over Kazakh's Repressive New Media Law

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeThe National Assn. of Kazakh Broadcasters and human rights group Adil Soz are among those highly critical of a restrictive media law awaiting Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev's signature following Senate passage this week of the measure introduced by the Communications & Information Ministry, according to a report by Radio Free Europe/Liberty Radio's ["RFELR"] Web site.

The draft broadcast law mandates foreign tv and radio outlets to register with an official Kazakh entity and sets 2018 as the date by which half of foreign broadcasts must concern domestic content. The increased state control over electronic news media that the new law would entail prompted a letter of protest to President Nazarbaev signed by more than 40 Kazakh media NGOs, the RFELR article reported.

Freedom's Just Another Word Press Is Losing Worldwide

Image via WikipediaFreedom of the Press 2011: A Global Survey of Media Independence, the annual report by the Freedom House watchdog group released this week, rates only 68 countries of 196 nations and territories evaluated as "free," according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (www.rferl.org).

The Top 10 List that David Letterman wants nothing to do with--the nations most oppressive toward the news media--include Belarus, Turkmenistan, Ukbekistan, Iran, Myanmar, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya and North Korea. Freedom House said governments in the countries on the list interfere with the press, stifle dissent or employ the news media as a mouthpiece to espouse government positions.

Overall, the report found 63 nations "not free," and noted a decline in press freedom in nations such as Hungary, Turkey and Mexico.  The watchdog group also voiced concern about a trend of authoritarian entities misusing "licensing and regulatory frameworks" to control the press.

Russia Eyes Media Law Reform

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According to a Radio Free Europe story reported in The Epoch Times, media law reform is on the Russian Parliament's radar.

Vying for parliamentary support are two bills. The first measure, backed by Ludmila Narusova, head of the Information Policy Parliamentary Commission, would clarify the legal status of content on the Internet, soliciting input from Web communities and providers. The other bill under consideration has the blessings of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's Unite Russia Party ("URP"), and, Narusova claims, would amend 60 percent of current media law, imposing harsh restrictions.

The URP bill, which the Russian Parliament passed in its first reading last week, empowers Federal Security Agency (FSB) officers to question journalists and censor "extremist" information. The state controls most mass media in Russia. Reporters Without Borders has ranked Russia 153rd in the world regarding press freedom, slightly higher than China and Pakistan.

Guess it's too soon to retire the old joke about Russian journalists breaking into the Kremlin to report on the results of next year's election.