“Dear friends! I sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, congratulate you and respected veterans of the sphere on the Day of Press and Mass Media Workers, widely celebrated in our country.
In recent years, as a result of the historical transformations taking place in the country, a solid legal framework and conditions have been created in society for the media to become a platform for the free expression of opinions and active defenders of the interests of the people.
We consider ensuring freedom of speech and press, the right to receive and disseminate information as an important and integral part of our development strategy aimed at protecting the interests, honor and dignity of a person, building a democratic society and a state that serves the people. In the updated Constitution of the country, the relevant provisions were further strengthened, which indicates the consistency of our actions in this direction.
There are currently 2,140 media outlets in Uzbekistan, or 626 more than in 2016. Among them, 65% are non-state media, which indicates ongoing structural transformations in the sphere. It should be noted that along with the traditional media, online publications are also rapidly developing, the number of which has reached 745, and their audience is steadily growing.
The creation of information services in state organizations and local authorities has a significant impact on strengthening the dialogue with the population.
The country’s mass media are confidently integrating into the international information space. Programs of the National TV and Radio Company of Uzbekistan and a number of private television studios are broadcast in more than 100 countries around the world.
Today, events are taking place in different parts of the world that cause concern for everyone, so we cannot but be concerned about the growing challenges in global information processes. Unfortunately, we have to admit that in some regions of the world, the mass media, for the sake of certain political forces, serve to incite information wars, mislead public opinion, distort facts and substitute concepts.
In eliminating shortcomings and problems in the life of society, in the fight against such vices as bureaucracy and corruption, we rely primarily on you, dear journalists and bloggers, and especially on our talented youth, who enter the national media space with new ideas and initiatives.
Taking this opportunity, I want to once again emphasize that our state and society are ready to provide the necessary support in improving the working and living conditions of media workers, stimulating their difficult and responsible activities, strengthening the material, technical and personnel potential of the sphere.
Congratulating you on a great professional holiday, as well as the upcoming bright holiday of Kurban Khayit, I wish you all good health, new creative successes, happiness and prosperity to your families,” the congratulation reads.
