11:03, 12 May 2009 | GMT +5
Nur Otan?s XII Congress to be turning point in Party?s history ? KTK Director General Arman Shurayev
ALMATY. May 12. KAZINFORM /Yelena Ilyinskaya/ The leading political party of the country, People?s Democratic Party Nur Otan celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. The XII Congress of the Party, which is to start in Astana on May 15, will strike a balance of the Party?s work. On the threshold of this event a member of the Party, General Director of the Commercial Television Channel (KTK) JSC Arman Shurayev told the Kazinform correspondent about new challenges of Nur Otan Party during the crisis. According to him, the congress will be a turning point in the Party?s history and will help make it stronger and closer to the people.

Your channel positions itself as the national one, how its format, the technical capacities and, consequently, the ratings have changed? Do you maintain social direction of your information and publicist programs and what special projects on this topic are aired now ?
The KTK is one of the first private TV channels of Kazakhstan, which has a status of the national broadcaster, recognizable leader in the television market of the country during the last 15 years. Making rebranding at the beginning of 2008, the KTK continues to be an information and entertainment channel for the widest possible audience, but plans to extend its number by qualitative upgrading of its programing and better positioning.
In a new season the KTK prepares a lot of new entertainment programs with ?reality? elements and ambitious game shows.
Most of the favorite programs of the KTK audience like an author?s program of academician of the Eurasian TV Academy Artur Platonov ?Portrait of the week? are on the air. Today this program has highest rating countrywide, because in this program we talk about any topics, live and exciting. And ?Alan zhurt? program in the Kazakh language has high rating among the programs in the state language.
Among special projects are social- publicist program ?Find me?, owing to which we find 100-150 people per annum, and ?The way home? project, which was launched in October, 2008. This program is devoted to an important theme ? adoption of orphans. It is necessary to note that the KTK is adhered to its image of the information and entertainment channel. Because of it I want to note special project ?Our Kazasha?. It turned out that its rating is several times higher than that of the Russian analogue.
At present our serious competitor is news program ?Informburo? of the Channel 31. It is two-three points down. News is most popular in the crisis period, and the KTK has a clear and streamlined format of news. Information programs release in a live television broadcast during the whole day in the Kazakh and Russian languages according to the ?news in development? principle.
The KTK correspondent network covers most of regional centers of Kazakhstan, but our plans are to cover all Kazakhstan.
At present KTK cooperates with over 20 largest manufacturers and distributors of films. We work directly with Warner Brothers, Universal, Metro Goldwyn Mayer and etc. It allows to get the newest ones, and sometimes our premieres are ahead of the premieres of the Russian Channel 1.
Mr.Shurayev, what the situation is with employment and personnel in your company during the crisis? Was there any reduction of staff?
The problem with personnel has always been urgent since Stalin era, who said that personnel had been all-important. Indeed, we are lack of personnel and I would like to note that the number of women-journalists has grown significantly over the last 5-6 years. Economic journalism needs in its improving today. Generally, journalism education is quite a controversial issue. For example, there are no faculties of journalism in the Western universities. I am a linguist and my knowledge of the Russian language and literature is not bad. As for economic blocs, our TV company plans to launch business news (they are in demand in crisis period), but not like RBK. I can say that Ukraine?s TV is the most competitive, anticipating Russia in many parameters. Therefore we try to exchange experience with our colleagues, attract youth for work and set new tasks ? to compete not only with domestic channels but also with Russia?s Channel 1, NTV and others.
You are a member of Nur Otan National Democratic Party. On the threshold of the XII Congress and the 10th anniversary of Nur Otan it would be interesting for us to know your opinion on the role of the party and its prospects in the country?s development and improvement of people?s life.
Nur Otan should be responsible for everything in the country. Thus, due to cooperation of KTK with Nur Otan housing investors and entrepreneurs could receive the money allocated from the National Fund. We try to show our deeds to the nation. The party?s image depends by 99% on the authority of its bright leader ? President Nursultan Nazarbayev. But any party striving for long work should not exploit its leaders? authority. Authority should be earned through solution of problems, primarily, the problems of districts and regions. The party affiliates in the regions should be led by strong persons standing for the nation?s interests and able to do their best to reach these goals.
Two months have passed since President Nursultan Nazarbayev addressed the nation with his Message ?Through Crisis to Renovation and Prosperity?. The key point of the Address lies in unification of all social-political forces in dealing with the consequences of the global crisis. How does the channel?s activity coincide with the major provisions of the Message and could you share your view on the anti-crisis program and the Road Map?
To my mind, fulfillment of the assignments set by the Head of the State is the best propaganda of the Address. He spoke on specific things, simple steps which would allow us to solve today?s problems. If the Government effectively resolves these issues we show it to the nation. Recently we have televised the course of implementation of the state housing program. We have been pleased to show the efforts of our Government in distribution of housing among the repatriates or construction of a bridge? All of these is good news but we should not dream up them, they should be performed.
Thank you for the interview!