Senator Nurlan Orazalin requested during an Oct. 2 plenary session with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan that social programmes and housing support be provided for young professionals working in the media, arts and culture.
“We have set up a media centre that meets all of world standards where our journalists work. Most are young journalists. For many, their social life is unprotected. They live in rented apartments. Their social vulnerability can in some ways affect their professional, creative activity,” said Orazalin.
Orazalin recommended settling journalists and artists in a purpose built district where the rent will be subsidised by the government.
“In a rapidly changing world, the globalisation work of the media and journalists is very important. According to official statistics, currently in Kazakhstan there are 252 electronic media, 146 TV/radio stations, 88 television companies and 58 radio companies, 98 cable operators and 1,364 newspapers, 70 percent of them are non-state. There are also 522 magazines, 64 agencies that are registered and working. All these media [outlets]are officially registered and employ a lot of journalists. But we have no information about the social security of our journalists. They provide timely coverage of all the activities of all the work, all the political activity that is happening in our country,” said Orazalin.
Orazalin is a member of the Socio-Cultural Development and Science Committee and a keen supporter of the arts. He worked as a writer for Kazakhstan Pioneer in 1970 where he started his literary career.
