“First and foremost, I sincerely congratulate all of you — respected journalists, esteemed veterans, and all creative and technical staff — who are faithfully fulfilling their duties in the evolving press of New Uzbekistan, on television and radio channels, online publications, publishing houses, printing enterprises, and in information services and platforms, on your professional holiday.
“In today’s extremely complex and turbulent world, where global socio-political processes are changing at an unprecedented pace, we all clearly understand the growing importance and influence of mass media.
“In this regard, I believe it is quite appropriate to compare the hard work of journalists — who not only disseminate objective and truthful information but also firmly defend our national interests — to the bravery of border guards who vigilantly protect our sacred frontiers.
On this auspicious day, it is a great honor for me to express, on behalf of our people, deep respect and best wishes to all media workers who are making meaningful contributions with their talent and professionalism to the historic transformations taking place in our country,” said the president.
It was noted that nearly 2,400 media outlets operate in Uzbekistan, with 65% belonging to the non-governmental sector. The number of private publications, TV and radio channels, and internet platforms continues to grow, and the number of users has increased from 14.7 million to 32.7 million. This expansion of content creators is contributing significantly to the development of the nation’s media sector.
Particular attention is being paid to supporting young creators, independent studios, and production centers in their efforts to develop national media content. This support is laying the groundwork for the emergence of high-quality, competitive projects in the digital space.
“Our country is making significant progress in ensuring the constitutional rights of citizens in the information sphere and in guaranteeing the legal implementation of press and speech freedom. While we focus on raising a well-rounded future generation, we also pay special attention to protecting them from harmful information. In this regard, several important steps have been taken: national content aimed at children — including publications — is now exempt from value-added tax, subject to only a 1% social tax, and eligible for VAT reimbursement.
“As a continuation of these reforms, we recently established the Center for the Development of Children’s Content. This center has already begun practical work to raise our younger generation in the spirit of national values and to acquaint them with kindness and enlightenment.
