World Association of News Publishers


Kyrgyzstan Newspaper Association Joins WAN

Kyrgyzstan Newspaper Association Joins WAN

Barcelona, Spain – 2009-05-30

A new association dedicated to protecting press freedom and the business interests of publishers and distributors in the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan has joined the World Association of Newspapers, which groups 78 publishers associations and 18,000 newspapers world-wide.

A new association dedicated to protecting press freedom and the business interests of publishers and distributors in the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan has joined the World Association of Newspapers, which groups 78 publishers associations and 18,000 newspapers world-wide.

The Kyrgyz Association of Publishers and Distributors of Print Media was created in December 2008 to protect the interests of publishers and distributors in Kyrgyzstan and assist print media to become a competitive, attractive and investment-friendly business by improving their management and editorial standards.

The Association defends and promotes freedom of the press in Kyrgyzstan, which ranks 111th out of 173 in a recent World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders.

The government exercises control of much of the media in Kyrgyzstan and many major outlets are either directly or indirectly controlled by, or aligned with, the current administration. Journalists have been assaulted, harassed and criminally prosectued for libel.

The Kyrgyz Association of Publishers and Distributors of Print Media was formally admitted on Saturday during a meeting of the WAN Board in Barcelona, Spain. The association has 17 members, including weekly and monthly newspapers, a journalists association, retail bookstores, two foundations, a printing press and a training centre.

The Paris-based WAN, the global organisation for the newspaper industry, defends and promotes press freedom and the professional and business interests of newspapers world-wide. Representing 18,000 newspapers, its membership includes 78 national newspaper associations, newspaper companies and individual newspaper executives in 122 countries, 12 news agencies and 11 regional and world-wide press groups.

Inquiries to: Larry Kilman, Director of Communications, WAN, 7 rue Geoffroy St Hilaire, 75005 Paris France. Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 00. Fax: +33 1 47 42 49 48. Mobile: +33 6 10 28 97 36. E-mail: lkilman@wan.asso.fr.

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