Uznews, Tashkent, 30 Oct 2008 – Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Uzbek Service (Ozodlik) has launched a new website today which will offer new ways of spreading information on top of radio broadcasting.
Ozodlik, the most popular radio in Uzbekistan, stopped being only radio and the new website launched today opens up new multimedia tools for journalists and its audience.
The online editor of ozodlik.org, Zamira Eshanova, said that visual changes of her site would also be reflected in the content, selection and presentation of material.
In addition to traditional audio material, the website will offer video and photo reports prepared by Uzbek Service journalists. Technically the website was designed in a way to enable readers in Uzbekistan to bypass Internet censorship because ozodlik.org, like many other independent websites, is blocked in the country.
She said that readers could access the website by googling it or using proxi servers.
The risk of exposing journalists especially those who prepare video material forces the service to limit cooperation with journalists working in the country, Eshanova said.
“You know that Uzbek law bans cooperation with foreign media without Foreign Ministry accreditation,” Eshanova said, “that is why the radio is continuing to fight for the right to work legally and openly in the country.”
The new website is expected to expand the radio’s audience and make it accessible and interesting. According to polls, 1% of Uzbekistan’s population regularly tunes to its waves.
“But the future is behind online journalism,” Eshanova said.
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