Postcard from Bishkek

There is a fair amount of discussion (in the business press – and ironically, on the internet) about the amount of time spent by workers surfing the net – the cost to business is supposed to run into hours and hours of lost production and millions of pounds, dollars, Euro or som.

It’s not just the internet, however, that distracts people.

Many years ago, for example, I remember walking into an office to see the accountant and found him playing patience on the computer.  He was to say the least a little embarrassed, but pointed out, (quite fairly), that it was still lunch time and he was taking a few moments of R+R time.  I confess that I have also occasionally fallen foul of the need to take a little r+r.

On another occasion, I walked into an office and found the Director of the company reading the newspaper.  He assured me it was actually “work” – he was keeping abreast of the latest developments in the country and his business.  I have a lot of sympathy with him as well.  It seems that I now I spend a lot my time doing just the same.  In Kyrgyzstan, where the situation can change rapidly, it is important to have an idea of what is happening – and what might happen.  Also, out here in Kyrgyzstan, it is not always easy to keep abreast of the latest developments in our business – leisure, tourism and hospitality, and I find the newsletters, blogs, podcasts etc. a valuable resource that helps to keep me active and aware.

This morning, for example, I noticed on one of the News Agency websites that I regularly visit, an item about a survey.  It was highlighted – in bold print, so that it would stand out:

“67% of top managers of the largest companies of Kyrgyzstan prefer to learn the news from news agencies”

I can understand why they thought it was newsworthy – a news agency reporting how valuable the top managers of the country’s largest companies, (the “movers and shakers” in Kyrgyzstan), rated the service provided by news agencies.  Almost three quarters of those surveyed from at least eighteen companies consulted news agencies in order to keep up-to-date on what was happening in the world outside their office – and two thirds apparently claimed to rely only on these services for their information.

I wasn’t involved ion the survey, (either because they don’t consider me to be a “top manager” or else Celestial Mountains is not one of the country’s largest company), so they didn’t ask me.  If they had then I would have told them that I also surf the news agency websites on a regular basis.  However, I would have been one of the twenty seven percent who consult a number of other sources to ensure that they are “informed”.

Less than two percent relied only on television reports for their news, which didn’t surprise me.   What did surprise me was that even less claimed to use information posted on social networking sites and blogs.  The blogosphere is quite active here.  There are a large number of people who use both Twitter and Facebook – many politicians and ministers and Roza Otunbaeva have accounts and are active users of social media to put their message across – and the local forum Diesel is one of the most widely used networks for disseminating information, opinion and gossip.

Of course, it is important, however, that we bear in mind that, what we read should be used as a guide, a source of information and analysis, and that the responsibility for what we do with that information is ours, and ours alone.  It is important to remember that reports in the press are not “gospel” – “divinely inspired” and infallible, that is, although we always hope that it will be “good news”.

Although a news agency website might be able to report events quickly, (I am reluctant to say instantly, or in real time – although I suppose that is possible) and is likely to be more systematic and comprehensive than a blog or social media, there are questions about the coverage.

I was also quite worried that so many of these influential “wheeler dealers” apparently rely on a single source for their information.  As I understand it, a journalist is supposed to seek out corroboration before they publish a story instead of relying on a single source, but here we apparently have business moguls who, (voluntarily), give the news agencies a monopoly over the vital issue of informing themselves … that is, if we believe the reported findings of the survey.

For a start, it is scrutinized and selected information.  During the run up to the April events the coverage was not as free and comprehensive as one might have hoped, or expected when compared to news coverage in the West.

Then again, they are not infallible … they can make “mistakes”.

A classic example of this came two days ago when I saw on one news agency website the following story:

German Embassy recommends to avoid travel to Kyrgyzstan

It reported that the Embassy of Germany in Kyrgyzstan has recommended to refrain from unnecessary travel to Kyrgyzstan, particularly to Osh and Jalal-Abad oblasts until the government is formed in the country. It also said that the German Embassy urged all German and EU citizens staying in Kyrgyzstan to exercise caution, to avoid crowded places and trips in night time.  Now, that surprised me, especially as the report went on to say that the advice was posted on their website on 30th November.  What had happened to cause them to change their advice?  The answer to this question seemed to be that “the Embassy has concerns that formation of the government may lead to new clashes.”

As it happens, I was a meeting last night which was attended by a member of embassy staff, so I asked them.  The reply I got was that the embassy had not changed their advice.  The webpage had been updated at the end of last month, but these two points were not altered.  They remain as they have been for several months.  It seems that the news agency had only just seen it.

You can find the post, (in German), on the embassy website: “Current situation in Kyrgyzstan“.

I was told that the embassy had in fact issued a press release correcting the “distorted impression” that they had changed their mind.  I wonder if that will be displayed as prominently as the original article.

Tags: Expat, Life_in_Kyrgyzstan, Press, Statistics, Travel_Warnings