Event Details:

Uzbekistan’s Mediascape 3 Decades after Independence: More Media, Many Constraints

Nozima Muratova, Mukarram Otamurodova and Dilnora Azimova

Faculty of the University of Journalism and Mass Communications of Uzbekistan

 

Since Uzbekistan’s independence in 1991, its media space has evolved to reflect major political and socioeconomic events that transformed the country into a key player in the new Great Game. Uzbekistan has emerged as a strategic partner for China, Russia, and the U.S. as those three mega-powers compete for hegemony in Central Asia. In this context, Uzbekistan is of growing importance because of its political leadership, regional trade projects, and partnership with Afghanistan. Economically impacted by the Russian-Ukrainian war, the stability of its internal politics has been threatened by political unrest in Karakalpakstan, rising radicalization, and repeated rocket attacks into its territory from Afghanistan.

Recent technological advancements have contributed to the increase in the number of online media outlets, news channels, bloggers, and social media users fostering content production, information flow, media diversity, and freedom. Although liberalization of the media environment and increased media pluralism under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev have enabled reporting on sensitive topics, any investigative or critical journalism is met with pressure and legal action.

University of Journalism and Mass Communications of Uzbekistan faculty will discuss how the media landscape has developed over the past 3 decades, the media legal framework, government control of journalists and bloggers, and the prevalence of media censorship and self-censorship.