News Briefing Central Asia represents a new concept in regional reporting. Dedicated to providing analysis of current events, it will give subscribers the “news behind the news” - the context and meaning that often is hidden in the headlines.

Covering four Central Asian states - Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan - NBCentralAsia will report on the latest developments in politics, economics and social trends. A team of professional editors will work with journalists and analysts throughout the region to give each report a unique perspective.

Through its analysis and commentary, the service will allow readers to understand events in a broader social and political context.

The agency is staffed by an experienced team of journalists and editors. Journalists, drawing on the observations and analysis of a network of over 100 Central Asian experts and commentators, will file daily reports from all over the region to editors based at a news hub in Bishkek and a regional office in Dushanbe.

NBCentralAsia includes:

• A hub office in Bishkek, staffed by the executive editor and three country editors
• A regional office in Dushanbe, staffed by a country editor
• A regional network of over 50 journalists, who have good contacts with over 100 experts and analysts
• An output of around 4 stories daily, which will gradually increase to 20.

Training

In addition to analytical reporting, NBCentralAsia seeks to strengthen professional journalism by providing practical training for journalists, editors and students, through on-the-job mentoring and apprenticeship programmes.

Syndication

NBCentralAsia reports are available to local and international media outlets free of charge. Subscribers to the daily news service can receive daily news packages. All reports are published on the NBCentralAsia section of the iwpr website and will also be accessible through RSS feeds.

Collaboration with other IWPR projects

As IWPR has been working continuously and extensively on the ground in Central Asia since December 1999, NBCentralAsia operates in close collaboration with Reporting Central Asia, RCA, and the Turkmen radio project, significantly expanding the breadth of present IWPR coverage in the region.

Partners

By reaching out to local media outlets (print, radio and TV) and offering them this new original news service, NBCentralAsia is significantly expanding the existing network of IWPR partner organisations, which includes MediaNet in Kazakstan; the Institute for Public Policy in Kyrgyzstan; and the Avesta news agency in Tajikistan.

Donors

NBCentralAsia is currently funded by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. State Department.