TURKMENISTAN'S MEDIA: WHAT DOES THE PRESIDENT WANT?

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001102

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS


STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, IIP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV SCUL KPAO TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN'S MEDIA: WHAT DOES THE PRESIDENT WANT?


1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Recently, President Berdimuhamedov again called
for the state-controlled mass media to improve and to project
Turkmenistan's image abroad and reflect the age of revival better.
In addition, he has reprimanded a major figure in print media and
appointed a new editor of the country's largest circulation
newspaper. Neither move appears to indicate a clear direction of
how he hopes to reform mass media. This and his previous calls for
an improvement in state news media may have little impact until he
allows for a more open media environment. END SUMMARY.

FOREIGN POLICY ROLE


3. (SBU) At a Cabinet of Ministers meeting on August 15, President
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov called for the state-controlled media to
project Turkmenistan's foreign policy. He specified that the media
should provide an "objective picture of the transformations taking
place" in order to create a proper image of Turkmenistan abroad. He
said that the government should create a special information network
with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Turkmenistan's embassies
all actively involved. He called on the use of all resources
including the Internet. It is unclear how the Ministry of Culture
which overseas most mass media and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
might coordinate this. Without much more detail than the
president's words, post's media contacts did not seem to know quite
what to do. One TV channel contact told the embassy that there was
a large meeting on the president's directives, and "superiors told
us to collect more information and report it accurately."

MAKE IT MORE INTERESTING?


4. (SBU) According to the president's comments at another Cabinet of
Ministers meeting held August 20, "in the spirit of the new
historical epoch," the country's media should better cover ongoing
events domestically and be more interesting. As with previous
statements on improving the media, the president spoke in broad,
general terms.

TAIMOVA REPRIMANDED, BUT FOR WHAT PRECISELY?


5. (SBU) Until recently, Jeren Taimova had served as both the head
of the Turkmen State Press Service (TDH by its Russian acronym) as
well as editor of the largest circulation state newspaper,
"Neytralniy Turkmenistan" (Russian, circ. 44,791). Among
journalists willing to discuss Taimova's leadership style, she was
known as a strict editor who cut stories significantly and tended to
stamp out originality in writing, unless the writing was full of
praise for President Berdimuhamedov. "Neytralniy Turkmenistan" is
generally reputed to be the more timely and dynamic print medium of
the two organizations. But some writers speculated that Taimova
sought to force the newspaper under TDH's direct control denying it
any independent action or news reporting.


6. (SBU) The president, during the August 15 Cabinet of Ministers
meeting, relieved Taimova of her second position as the "Neytralniy
Turkmenistan" editor and appointed Bekdurdy Amansaryev to fill the
position. And despite Taimova's reputation for control, on August
19, a presidential order reprimanded her for "loosening control"
over the TDH. No more detail was provided, and post's limited
contacts were also stumped when asked to elaborate on what was meant
by "loosening control."

SAME AS THE OLD BOSS?


7. (SBU) The newly appointed editor of "Neytralniy Turkmenistan,"
Bekdurdy Amansaryev, is a longtime correspondent for the paper.
During the Niyazov-era, he was well known for his articles praising
the Ruhnama and the Golden Age. In particular, he frequently wrote
articles which attacked regime opponents, especially government
officials who had fled abroad. After Niyazov's death and the
beginning of reform, Amansaryev's writing seems to have gravitated
toward milder topics (such as routine presidential coverage or
articles about the theater).

ASHGABAT 00001102 002 OF 002




8. (SBU) COMMENT: President Berdimuhamedov appears to be
frustrated that his calls for more interesting (or previously, more
creative) news media seem to have little impact. His instructions
appear to lack specifics, and many in the media appear not to know
how they should "improve." Simultaneously, the president directs
the media to project the proper spirit of the epoch of reform and a
proper image of Turkmenistan abroad. Some TV reports appear to have
attempted a more poetic version of the same "Golden Age" style
stories. Apparently, this is not what the president wants. One
reason for the lack of change is the typical Turkmen working
environment which discourages risk-taking or innovation without the
highest levels of approval. In addition, as long as the media
remains firmly under state-control, there is unlikely to be a
dramatic change. Greater autonomy or attempting to become
commercially viable may be the only ways to break state media out of
its uninteresting, uncreative rut. END COMMENT.

CURRAN