“This professional holiday has gained a new meaning in recent years” – AIMC head congratulates journalists, media workers and bloggers

“Today we celebrate our professional holiday – the Day of the Press and Mass Media Workers. On this day, which is important for all of us, we honor the representatives of this complex and noble profession.

More than a century ago, on June 27, 1906, the first edition of “Taraqqiy”, the first Uzbek-language newspaper, was published. This historic date has been celebrated in independent Uzbekistan as the Press and Mass Media Workers Day.

This professional holiday has gained new content in recent years. As a result of the political will of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, his idea of establishing a dialogue with the people, ensuring freedom of speech and information, the openness and transparency of government agencies has become a priority of Uzbekistan’s development strategy.

In this regard, analyzing the past, we can say with confidence that journalists and bloggers have become an integral part of the country’s life, their prestige among the population has grown. This shows that they are gaining the respect and admiration of people, who feel more and more the true power of journalism. Undoubtedly, this is a great achievement, at the same time, the basis for the development of New Uzbekistan!

The direction set by the head of state has led to the rapid development of non-governmental online journalism and blogging, which has become an important part of the emerging civil society in the country. Today, when we wake up, we rush to access social networks and messengers, we can’t imagine our lives without real-time news and posts, interesting, critical and thought-provoking materials on the media.

I would like to emphasize that the main focus of the media is on the person, his daily life, thoughts, interests, dreams and goals. This is very important in terms of the formation of a civic and progressive-minded journalism in our country.

From now on, the heads of information services (about 400 specialists) are advisers on information policy to ministers, chairmen, directors and khokims. They are experts who can comment on sensational events, answer complex questions of journalists on behalf of the leader, express and defend the official point of view of the state body in the information space. For example, in 2019, the response rate to critical articles in the media was 10-15%, but today it has risen to 87%.

Along the way, they are fully supported by the Agency for Information and Mass Communications. The agency is trying to serve as a platform for constructive dialogue and create conditions for journalists and bloggers to always have the necessary information,” Saidjanov said.

It was noted that there is still a lot of work to be done to strengthen freedom of speech and develop the media, and there are also enough problems in the sphere. Unfortunately, sometimes journalists and bloggers have to defend their freedom of speech and thought, their “right to be heard”. Such cases, of course, cannot be ignored by the journalistic community and society as a whole.

“I would also like to emphasize that it is very important to improve the skills of journalists and press secretaries, to study and apply the best practices of foreign countries in this area. Only by working tirelessly on ourselves, improving the professionalism of national journalism, we can turn the media into a real “fourth estate” that serves the interests of the people. 

Kindly accept our warmest congratulations on the occasion of your professional holiday. We truly thank you for your dedication, talent and hard work.

We wish you progress, success in your difficult, but noble work, and constant leadership in the chosen path in the space of information,” Saidjanov concluded.