New height: TNV reaches international level
The Tatarstan TV and radio company opened the first news bureau in Kazakhstan
Novy Vek TV and Radio Company's news bureau officially opened in Astana in the middle of summer. It became the first international representative office of TNV. The main goal of the new news bureau's work is to acquaint TV viewers with life and problems of the Tatars living in Kazakhstan. Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov also controlled the creation of the information representative office. Reports about the life of the local Tatar diaspora can be seen in news programmes on TNV-Tatarstan and TNV-Planeta channels, in The Tatars programme. Realnoe Vremya tells how the news bureau is operating now.
''A bridge for a dialogue of cultures''
Two months have passed since Novy Vek TV and radio company's news bureau began to operate in Kazakhstan. The decision to launch the first international representative office was made at a meeting of the TNV Board of Directors early this year. The main reason is the TV channel's high popularity among the Kazakhstani Tatar diaspora.
''There were many addresses from the Tatars living in Kazakhstan. There is a very big and strong Tatar diaspora there,'' told TNV executive director and editor-in-chief Ayrat Sibagatullin about the reasons for the opening. According to him, the decision to create the news bureau was supported by Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov. And TNV's representative office in Kazakhstan opened with his active help on 4 July. ''Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Tatarstan to Kazakhstan Denis Valeyev also helped us a lot in this issue,'' Sibagatullin added.
Long cooperation connects both republics. Kazakhstan has been an economic partner of Tatarstan in Russian-Kazakhstani relations since 1997. So the external turnover between the Republic of Tatarstan and the Republic of Kazakhstan totalled US $702,9 million in 2017, which is 1,7 times more than the previous year. The republic's heads often exchange visits, there are business links. About 1,200 Kazakhstani students study in Tatarstan, while Nazarbayev University is a close partner of KFU.
According to official statistics, about 250,000 Tatars live in Kazakhstan. They are represented in all 15 districts of the republic and rank sixth in population. Kazakhstani Tatars are one of the numerous Tatars in the world. And the locals especially like TNV-Planeta channel.
I often notice that people watch TNV and appreciate its programmes in different regions of Kazakhstan. The channel has its own audience here
''Not only Tatars but also Kazakhs represent the audience of TNV channel in Kazakhstan. Kazakhs don't need a translator to watch Tatar programmes because of the similarity of our languages,'' Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Tatarstan to Kazakhstan Denis Valeyev noted.
''Our plays are close to the Kazakh people, they are interested in our music. I often notice that people watch TNV and appreciate its programmes in different regions of Kazakhstan. The channel has its own audience here. So the TV channel is a real bridge for a dialogue of cultures,'' Valeyev assessed the importance of the new news bureau.
News bureau located in Kazmedia
The new international news bureau opened with pomp – Tatarstan President took part in it during the business visit to Astana. TNV TV and Radio Company Director General Ilshat Aminov showed the president the rooms with new equipment and introduced the news bureau's collective.
''Thanks to TNV you are very familiar with life in the Republic of Tatarstan. From today thanks to you we will know how our compatriots in the Republic of Kazakhstan live, tell about the life of the Tatars, the activity of public associations in the conservation of the mother tongue, culture, traditions and customs of the Tatars. Objectively cover the most important events happening in the capital of Kazakhstan and its regions, inform about achievements of the cooperation of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Republic of Kazakhstan,'' Rustam Minnikhanov instructed the TNV news bureau employees at the opening.
The news bureau is located in Kazmedia's building. It's a united technological platform to provide quality broadcasting of all national media in Kazakhstan. The centre has 400 specialists, the platform has 14 studios and 92 editing control rooms. Eight major TV channels of the country and three radio stations are also located in Kazmedia. TNV's representative office with new equipment is also here.
Ten candidates were considered to chair the news bureau and be a staff reporter at the same time.
''The director of the news bureau is a professional who follows the information picture of life in Kazakhstan. It's very comfortable for us if a person lives there because it excludes trips, he is aware of a situation, he is integrated into the environment and can arrange links. And this is the big value of the news bureau,'' told Deputy Director General on Information Broadcasting Madina Timerzyanova.
The director of the news bureau is a professional who follows the information picture of life in Kazakhstan
Fluent Tatar skills of the candidate became another key condition because the pieces, first of all, will be oriented to Tatar programmes.
As a result, Adelia Tukhbatova was entrusted with the administration of the new representative office. She comes from Chelyabinsk Oblast, graduated from Bashkir State University, speaks Tatar, Bashkir and Kazakh besides Russian. Adelia Tukhbatova moved to Astana four years ago where she chaired the social and mass event organisation department in the Kazakhstan Peoples' Assembly. Adelia also actively takes part in the life of the local Tatar diaspora – she heads the work in the Tatar-Bashkir Culture Centre, participates in the organisation of Tatar-Bashkir festivals.
''I'm very glad to be working on TNV now. It's new opportunities for me now to practise the mother tongue, to better study the culture of my people. A language is forgotten as time goes by, and here you go back to your roots,'' Adelia Tukhbatova commented on her appointment for Realnoe Vremya.
Plan is to produce 14 reports a month
The news bureau is urged to show how the Tatar diaspora in Kazakhstan lives. A review of events about the life of the Tatar people in the capital and regions of the country will be the foundation of reports. It's planned to cover activities of Tatar public associations working in regions to revive and conserve the mother tongue, culture, traditions and customs of the Tatars and cooperate with representatives of other ethnicities. Special attention will, of course, be paid to the cooperation of Tatarstan and Kazakhstan as well as the most important events happening in the capital of Kazakhstan and its regions.
The broadcasting will be oriented to the most different age and social categories of viewers.
''There has been given a big task,'' Ayrat Sibagatullin claimed. It's planned that 14 reports a month will come from Kazakhstan.
''At the moment, there were short reports about certain representatives of the Tatar community in Astana and Petropavlovsk. Trips to regions kick off in September. We will begin covering the activity of Tatar-Bashkir centres, Sunday schools,'' Adelia Tukhbatova shared the plans.
Undoubtedly, it's important to develop information links between Tatarstan and Kazakhstan, thinks Deputy Director General on Regional Development and Technical Director Vladimir Matveyev.
Undoubtedly, it's important to develop information links between Tatarstan and Kazakhstan
''We have news bureaus in Orenburg, Ufa, Ulyanovsk and other cities. The tenth news bureau appeared in Astana that will also create the content for our programmes,'' noted Matveyev. He also told that Kazakhstani reports will be designed for news programmes of two TNV channels, it's TNV News, News, The Tatars.
''The news is the main programme on any channel. All our services work for it, first of all. The Tatars project also has an informative format, and it's the programme that acquaints our viewers with life and problems of the Tatars living far from the republic. This is why the main flow of reports will be included in these programmes. Others programmes will order reports in the news bureau if needed,'' Matveyev explained.
Planned news bureau in Uzbekistan
As for the interest of the Tatarstan audience, here there is no doubt too.
''Many Tatarstan residents have friends who live in Kazakhstan. Common Turkic roots unite us. As a viewer, it'd be interesting for me to know what's going on in all sectors of this friendly country,'' Ayrat Sibagatullin is convinced.
Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Tatarstan to Kazakhstan Denis Valeyev also agrees with him:
''I'm personally interested in how my compatriots live around the world, what they do and what concerns them, without depending on where I'm living and working now. TNV is the basic platform to know more about each other,'' Valeyev concluded.
In answer to the question about the difficulties with the opening, Deputy Director General on Regional Development and Technical Director Vladimir Matveyev replied there weren't big problems in the process except scrupulous examination of local legislation by the company's jurists.
''The country is different, legislation is different. It was a bit complicated to synchronise contractual relations within our and foreign legal framework,'' shared Matveyev.
''A news bureau is always an expansion of opportunities when covering the Tatars' life on TNV-Planeta and TNV-Tatarstan channels,'' Madina Timerzyanov concluded.
However, the TV company isn't going to stop here. It's planned to open a news bureau in Uzbekistan.
''There are addresses from Tatars in Tashkent. There is a big diaspora there too. It's hard to say now when it will open because it's a cumbersome process,'' Ayrat Sibagatullin marked plans.