OSCE Centre organizes training on TV news production in Turkmenistan

ASHGABAT, 7 June 2010 - A training workshop organized by the OSCE Centre for editorial and technical staff working in Turkmenistan state television news started today in Ashgabat.

The six-day course is organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat in close co-operation with the Ministry of Culture and TV and Radio Broadcasting of Turkmenistan.

Twenty-five staff working on Turkmenistan's TV news programmes, including camera crews, news reporters and content editors, as well as sound and picture editors, will look at how to report and shoot a TV news story. The course will also address how to assign news stories to reporters and how to construct a TV news bulletin.

Two trainers from the BBC will offer applied on-the-job training in a real network news environment, which will enable participants to improve the skills they need for the production of quality TV news, including script writing, sound and vision editing, shooting interviews and using graphics and archive material.

"Television remains a primary source of information for the majority of people, and the production of accurate, balanced and interesting news bulletins requires a highly professional approach by everybody involved," said Ambassador Arsim Zekolli, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

"The OSCE Centre finds it very important to continue its support for the development of the media sector in Turkmenistan, including through organizing training courses for TV news staff."

Sean Crowley, one of the instructors, added: "Turkmenistan attaches a great importance to further improving its local and international television news, and this course will offer as many key staff as possible the chance to gain new production skills. The aim of the training is to generate engaging, relevant news material that reflects all aspects of Turkmenistan's society."