DUSHANBE, July 3, 2012, Asia-Plus -- The Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media will organize its 14th regional media conference for Central Asia “From Traditional to Online Media: Best Practices and Perspectives” in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan from July 5-6.

According to press release issued the OSCE, this will be the first OSCE Central Asia Media conference held in Ashgabat.  The two-day event will provide a platform for journalists, government officials, international and regional experts, representatives of civil society and academia to discuss best practices and perspectives of transition from traditional to online media.

Participants from all Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as well as Afghanistan are expected to take part in the event. They will discuss international standards and national practices on freedom of online media, online broadcast regulation, look at the tendencies in the development of digital media, new challenges posed by social media, and develop solutions and recommendations based on international best practices. The role of self-regulation in upholding of freedom of expression will also be discussed.

A master class on online and social media regulation will take place on the margins of the conference on July 5.  It will encourage a discussion among participants of regulation practices in their countries, various practices of media regulation in general, and of Internet regulation in particular.  The master class will be facilitated by Albany Associates, an international communications firm that works with governments and broadcast regulatory agencies.