‘An Insider’s Look’
A journalist breathes new life into reporting on the Government of Kazakhstan
A government official running away from a journalist to avoid being asked uncomfortable questions is not an unusual encounter for Kazakhstan’s reporters.
Often, it’s Ainur Qoskina who runs after an official with a microphone seeking to ask such questions. Ainur, an experienced freelance journalist in Kazakhstan’s capital of Nur-Sultan, has worked for a number of local media outlets such as Radiotochka.kz, Zakon.kz, Current Time TV, Total.kz.
With a small grant from USAID’s Central Asia Media Program, implemented by Internews, Ainur last summer launched her own online journalism project called the QOS Live project on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Armed with her smartphone, she provides live news coverage of parliament, including on-the-spot interviews with government officials, where she takes questions and comments from her online audience to communicate back to the officials.
“I really like the idea of convergent journalism and would like to think that I am succeeding at it. On television, a journalist depends on an entire camera crew. But in this new format, journalists have the opportunity to do everything themselves. To film, I chose a high-quality smartphone with a built-in editing program, and other essentials like a tripod, a microphone, and lights with the USAID grant.” — Ainur Qoskina
It’s rare in Kazakhstan for a well-recognized and established female journalist like Ainur to stake her career and reputation on developing a successful media brand on social media. With the slogan “An insider’s look,” QOS Live distinguishes itself from other media outlets with its independent stance and its ability to give the public a voice and make top government officials listen.
The project came at a time of historic significance for the country. In March 2019, Nursultan Nazarbayev abruptly resigned after serving as Kazakhstan’s president for 28 consecutive years. The following June, Kazakhstan held its first presidential election without Nursultan Nazarbayev as a candidate.
One of Ainur’s interviews with a local independent politician was viewed live by over 4,600 people on Facebook, a remarkable feat for social media viewership in Kazakhstan. Her most popular non-live video is of the interior minister’s reaction to harassment of journalists by unidentified people in masks while covering protests during the presidential election, and the lack of response from the police to prevent such harassment. The video gathered a staggering 50,000+ views.
Ainur’s dedication to independent journalism has been recognized by the French Embassy in Kazakhstan, which in September 2019 invited her for a two-week, investigative journalism fellowship program in France; the Kazakhstan Media Alliance, which sent her a letter of appreciation for her principled stance; and the President of Kazakhstan himself, Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev, who wrote her a letter of gratitude for “her role in local media development and raising awareness on the country’s reforms.”
By this January, the QOS Live project reached a significant milestone with over 1 million views of its Facebook content, over 80,000 views on YouTube, and 60,000 views on Instagram — impressive numbers for a country where the majority of the population still views television as the main source of news and information on socio-political issues.
USAID’s support to independent journalism is particularly important in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is having severe economic consequences for independent regional media outlets that rely on increasingly scarce advertising dollars. Very few regional media outlets can afford a correspondent based in the capital city although official government information usually requires clarification through interviews with relevant officials.
In March, Ainur went a step further to address this gap, reaching out to all regional media outlets she knew by offering to serve as a correspondent in the nation’s capital free of charge. As a result of her outreach, she now provides independent news from the capital to multiple regional media outlets all across Kazakhstan, thanks to a second small grant from USAID’s Central Asia Media Program.
Ainur credits USAID and the Central Asia Media Program with helping her move to a new format of journalism and supporting struggling independent regional media outlets in these challenging times.
“I nearly gave in to the pressure and struggles of being an independent journalist. I considered switching careers,” Ainur said. But thanks to the support of USAID and Internews, Ainur remains a committed journalist and a trusted voice in Kazakhstan’s media landscape.
About the Author
Nurzhan Beisembayev is a Regional Program Officer at Internews.
