Development and problems of Kyrgyzstan television broadcasting

This study aims to reveal the history of television in Kyrgyzstan, the development of the country in the communication sector and the evolution of television broadcasting. Television broadcasting started in Kyrgyzstan during the Soviet Union and after the declaration of independence, the Kyrgyz Republic established its own local television networks. With the beginning of television broadcasting in Kyrgyzstan in 1958, the country's introduction to television and its development process are discussed. The focus of the research is to examine the television channels broadcasting in Kyrgyzstan and to examine their numbers, ownership structures, contents and perspectives in programme broadcasting. Through this study, it is aimed to determine the situation and deficiencies of state and private television broadcasting in Kyrgyzstan. The development process of television broadcasting in Kyrgyzstan, its impact on the cultural structure, its financial structure, programme content and the balance of power over these contents and their transformations in the process are the subject of the study. In the researches conducted in this context, it has been observed that with the independence of Kyrgyzstan, television broadcasting was state-directed and one-way content was produced, but in the following period, with the spread of private television broadcasting, original content started to be produced and with the popularity of these contents by the audience, there were compulsory changes in the broadcasting policy of state channels. The main reason for this can be shown as the concern of losing the audience. In addition to this, in the following periods, it has been found that television adverts violate the specified ethical rules because of the economic concerns of private channels. It is seen that Kyrgyz television broadcasting, which was freed from the influence of the USSR, prioritises its own cultural values and language and cares about spreading them. In the study, the question of which aspects of television broadcasting in Kyrgyzstan after independence has been sought to be answered, and for this purpose, online interviews were conducted with experts, journalists and researchers in the field of media in the country. In the interviews, many questions were answered based on the situation and changes in Kyrgyzstan television broadcasting from its history to the present day. In the light of these questions, it is seen that television broadcasting has a very important place in the Kyrgyz society in the historical process. It is also observed that television broadcasting in Kyrgyzstan maintains its importance despite the widespread use of digital media platforms today.