On 5-6 June 2019 the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized a seminar on the topic “Funding models for television in the 21st century.” The seminar was delivered by international experts from the United Kingdom and Ukraine who presented fundamental principles of public service broadcasting and traditional funding models for state, commercial and public service television.
Representatives of Turkmenistan’s State Committee for TV, Radiobroadcasting and Cinematography, the Mejlis (the parliament), the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Office of the Ombudsperson, and the Institute of the State, Law and Democracy and other relevant institutions participated in the event.
In her opening message to the participants of the seminar, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat Natalya Drozd said: “The OSCE participating States are committed to making use of the modern means of communication to promote the free and wide dissemination of information.”
Discussions focused on the distinctive features of the media market and the importance of researching audience needs and analysing consumption habits for broadcast and print media. The participants examined funding models such as subscription systems, TV licence fees, micro financing, digital services tax and hybrid models. The rise of the internet and non-linear media as well as digital transformation in the media was also addressed.
Upon completion of the seminar, the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized a round table discussion with senior representatives of the State Committee for TV, Radiobroadcasting and Cinematography, the Mejlis, and other relevant institutions. The round table discussion presented the outcomes of the seminar and offered a platform for the exchange of views on optimal models of TV funding.