Senate considers draft law on amendments to some legislative acts of Kazakhstan on Mass Media

ASTANA. January, 8. KAZINFORM The draft law ?On amendments to some legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on issues of Mass Media? has been considered today in the Senate Committee on Social and Cultural Development, Kazinform refers to the press-office of the Chamber.

According to Senator Anatoly Bashmakov ?round tables?, conferences dedicated to the legislature for the liberalization of the media were held in the process of preparation. The views of the reps of mass media, human rights organizations and expert community were taken into consideration at the sessions of the working group created in the context of the work on the draft law. Proposed amendments to the draft law aimed at the empowering and protecting the interests of professional journalists. Thus, the exclusion of sub-paragraph 4-1 of Article 21 of the Law ?On Media? frees a journalist from obtaining consent to use audio ? visual equipment in an interview. The bill also clarifies the norm of TV and radio broadcasting in the Kazakh language to expand the use and development of the state language in mass media. Following the results of the discussion the Head of the Committee Akhan Bizhanov emphasized that considered document is aimed at further development of the national and information space, protection of rights and interests of the citizens. According to A. Bizhanov the amendments to the law on mass media are brought in accordance with the requirements of time, modern conditions of social, political and economic development of the society, further progress of democratic processes. The document is forwarded for Chamber consideration.