The Development of Media Management in Central Asia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35765/pk.2026.5403.09
Keywords: media management, Central Asia, journalism

Abstract

This article presents the results of a comparative study of the development of media management in five Central Asian countries. Based on an analysis of institutional conditions and management practices in media organisations, it demonstrates that similarities and differences in media management in the region are shaped not so much by the degree of formal liberalisation of media markets, but rather by the nature of the interaction between the state, market mechanisms, and institutional legacies. This confirms the analytical value of the media management concept for the study of media transformation in post-Soviet societies. The empirical results reveal the hybrid nature of Central Asian media systems, characterised by contextual adaptation and multi-level governance. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan exhibit more dynamic development of the digital media environment and an expanding private media sector, while Tajikistan and Turkmenistan maintain poorly diversified and predominantly state-controlled media systems. Kyrgyzstan occupies an intermediate position, combining the presence of private media with increased regulatory restrictions. Overall, media management in the region is characterised by high cross-country variation and a stable hybrid structure.

Author Biographies

Karlyga Myssayeva, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan, Almaty

Associate Professor of Media Studies at the Faculty of Journalism, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU), specialising in communication and journalism. She previously served as Vice-Dean for Scientific and Innovative Service and International Relations at the Faculty. Her academic output includes more than 30 journal articles and four books. She is a Fulbright Scholar and the recipient of the 2025 Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC) Award. She has held visiting apointments at Ohio University, George Washington University, the University of Wyoming, Oklahoma State University (USA), and the University of Strasbourg (France). She currently serves as Director of the Eurasian Media and Communication Research Centre at KazNU.

Ainur Akynbayeva, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan, Almaty

PhD candidate at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU). She has worked as a Chief Specialist in the Information and Communication Department at the university. She holds both BA and MA degrees from KazNU. She began her professional career as a correspondent for the university newspaper Qazaq universiteti. Since November 2019, she has been a leading specialist in KazNU’s Image Policy and Public Relations Department. Her research interests include new media, the history of journalism, and media management.

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PK-54
Published
2026-09-30
How to Cite
[1]
Myssayeva, K. and Akynbayeva, A. 2026. The Development of Media Management in Central Asia. Perspectives on Culture. 54, 3 (Sep. 2026), 137-158. DOI:https://doi.org/10.35765/pk.2026.5403.09.
Issue
Vol. 54 No. 3 (2026): Contemporary Media Management: A Multidimensional Approach to Social, Political, and Technological Contexts
Section
Media management processes, business models and technological innovations

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