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Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher Visits Internews Network in Tajikistan

Photo: Internews Tajikistan Troy Etulain, Internews Network in Tajikistan Country Director, describes the current state of media in Tajikistan to Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher and others.

(October 11, 2006) On Saturday, October 7, US Ambassador Richard Boucher, Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia Affairs, visited the office of Internews Network in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Internews was the only NGO the Assistant Secretary visited during his visit to Tajikistan, a trip aimed at promoting bilateral relations and cooperation between the United States and Tajikistan.
 
Boucher first observed a seminar on computer-based graphic design for television taught by Internew Network's designer Parviz Kurbanov. The six participants showed the Assistant Secretary short graphic inserts they had developed for each of their respective TV stations.
 
After the seminar, Troy Etulain, Country Director for Internews Network in Tajikistan, described the current state of media in Tajikistan, including the challenges that journalists and media outlets face there.

Internews Network presented Boucher with copies of its new pocket-size Tajik-language book, Legal Guide for Journalists. Internews Network recently published one thousand copies of the book for independent journalists and media professionals.

During his subsequent meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov, Boucher brought up the issue of bureaucratic challenges Internews Network in Tajikistan has faced in the founding of six new community radio stations.
 
Internews Network has worked in Central Asia since 1995 to improve the quality  of journalism and the ability of media outlets to manage themselves effectively  as businesses. In addition to extensive training programs for media professionals, Internews Network collaborates with local journalists to support their production of public interest television  programming, including Open Asia, a regional weekly TV magazine  program.

Internews Network's work in Tajikistan is made possible by a grant from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Troy Etulain, Internews Network Country Director in Tajikistan