Today, on 23 July, is the 104th anniversary of the first Ossetian newspaper "Iron gazet". The Chairman of the State Committee for information, communication and media of the Republic of South Ossetia told journalists about the problems and perspectives of the work in this sector.
- 23 July is annually celebrated as the Day of Media in our Republic. Taking into account the recent tragedy killing our compatriots, we decided to postpone the event for a later date. I am running dew steps forward to say that we will be celebrating our media holiday wider and wider every year. Because, the contribution of journalists into the development of our Republic is immense, and so far, this input has not found due appreciation. This year, due to the reasons I have mentioned, we decided to limit the events only to the official part, that is to awarding of media representatives with state awards.
- What measures are envisaged to improve the quality of the disseminated information?
- I will start with the printed media. Beginning of the year, we requested the government to allocate funds to increase the number of weekly issues of the central newspapers "Khurzarin" and "Yuzhnaya Ossetia" up to three. This is crucially important. We also expect some significant development in what is related to TV. This is first, the increased duration of the daily broadcast of the TV channel with repeated news programs in the mornings. It is our principle position. Noteworthy, changes that I have mentioned are only the minimum planned by the State Committee for this year. In the era of informational technologies, it is obvious that we yield to our opponents in this sphere. For example, media propaganda by several TV channels broadcasting from Georgia both in Russian and Ossetian languages is still ongoing in the southern parts of Tskhinval, in Tskhinval and Znaur districts, an more actively in Leningor. Presently, we are simply unable to cope with this informational war, including the campaigns in the worldwide web conducted with the West's serious support, including financial. It is a serious problem directly related to security of our Republic, though many officials still do not realize the importance of the situation, since many residents in the villages without the possibility to watch the Republican TV channel and listen to the Ossetian radio, receive our newspapers, have to watch Georgian TV channels, when they are deprived of any alternative source of information. We should change this situation and we should do so as quickly as possible. This is possible only with due funding and understanding among all branches of power, the executive and the legislative. Simultaneously, we are working on improving the quality of our printed media, since the marketability of the media does matter nowadays. I will not focus on the details. but we do our best to ensure that our newspapers are published in color. I would like to separately mention our electronic media "Res" and "Osinform" and others, which are oriented on outside readers, who feel the main burden of the flow of information opposed to the enormous western media machine.
- What goals do you identify to the journalist community?
- First of all, fast and reliable information should promptly reach the readers. We should never forget about grounded critics against the authorities, especially in the times of developing statehood. It is not groundless when some people say that some of our officials by doing nothing hinder the processes and do more harm and set us back. In these circumstances, the valuable word of journalists is absolutely necessary.
- Your Committee is also responsible for publishing.
- It is also one of the serious spheres, stagnated for many years because the authorities did not consider it as a priority at some stages, finding the pretext in the war situation, Inter anna silent Musae. Not in our case. We have cornered ourselves due to this position, and put major obstacles to the development of the Ossetian languages. The situation started to change last few years. with the support of several members of the parliament, we managed to propose and get adopted more significant funding for publishing purposes this year than in the past. We had already created a publishing commission, so I believe, our positions in this field will be strengthening each year, and the number of books in the national languages and on issues related to Ossetians will increase.
- To conclude with, what would you wish to your colleagues on the Day of the Media?
- I would better avoid pathetic words, and be brief. First of all, I wish them peace, prosperity and mutual understanding. I wish them to have more positive reports and materials aimed at well-being of our country. They should do their best to get back the niche of the "forth power". From the side of the State Committee, we are doing everything possible to improve the technical and material capacities of their work. The rest depends on your strong stand and honesty. I congratulate you on your professional day and wish to all of you a professional growth, for professionalism has no limits.
