OSCE seminar addresses interaction between state institutions and media in Turkmenistan

Representatives of key ministries and government bodies and journalists from online, print and broadcast media participated in a seminar organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat on 3 and 4 March 2020 on the efficient interaction between state institutions and the media.
The seminar presented the role of press services in the digital age and the objectives of the media in informing the public about the activities of the state. International experts from Poland and the United Kingdom explored the relations between the media and state institutions and focused on the importance of government websites as sources of information for journalists and the general public.
“Over 45 years since the signing of the Helsinki Final Act, the OSCE participating States have undertaken a number of commitments aimed at facilitating freer and wider dissemination of information and ensuring access to government-held information which is essential for enhancing the accountability and transparency of governments,” said Natalya Drozd, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.
“Online instruments offer new opportunities for state institutions for the dissemination of information among the media and general public, and we believe our seminar will support the efforts of the government of Turkmenistan to develop a digital society and improve channels of communication between state institutions and the media,” she continued.
The seminar also covered the development of a communication strategy and the role of social networks in its implementation. The participants exchanged views on news value and standards of public broadcasting in the state information policy.
The practical part of the seminar included exercises related to the organization of press conferences and drafting press releases as well as interviewing and public speaking skills.