Three weeks after Deputy Prime Minister overseeing culture and mass media Bakhargul Abdyeva reported on the “measures undertaken to improve professional competence of media outlets staff”, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov expressed discontent with their performance at the Cabinet session on 31 May.
In particular, he criticized the performance of television channels “Sport” and “Yashlyk” established “with a view of promoting national sports, providing a wide coverage of the country’s sports accomplishments”.
Since both channels are unable to handle the set objectives, the head of the state demanded that Abdyeva “pay increased attention to managing these and other television channels which should be headed by highly skilled professionals with specialized education and experience in this area”.
Then the President appointed A.Ashyrov Deputy Chairperson of the State Information Agency and relieved him of the post of the CEO of the television channel “Ashgabat”. M. Rejepov was appointed the executive of the aforementioned television channel.
Y.Turshekov was appointed Deputy Chairperson of the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting and Cinematography.
B.Byashimov was appointed Chairperson of the Printing Centre of the Turkmen State Publishing Service. Deputy Chairperson of the Turkmen State Publishing Service N. yaberenov was relieved of his post of acting chairperson of the Centre.
Throughout this year the President of Turkmenistan has repeatedly been stating that “the work of Turkmen media outlets does not fully reflect Turkmenistan’s accomplishments”.
At the Cabinet session held on 4 May Deputy Prime Minister overseeing culture and mass media Bakhargul Abdyeva briefed the head of the state that “mass media outlets carried out the activities to showcase the accomplishments of the country and explain the nature and goals of large-scale reforms”.
Trainings for Turkmen journalists to improve their professional qualifications are organized on a regular basis, by the OSCE office in Ashgabat inter alia.