Uzbek President Islam Karimov has called on journalists to improve the quality of work and get rid of self-censorship.
"Our journalists' topical issue is to assess own activities to improve quality, skill and efficiency of our national media to the highest standards and criteria of the world's developed media. In this regard, we must get rid of the remains of the past, outdated attitudes, creating obstacles for more confident sound of our voices, in short, of stereotypes restricting us and self-censorship," Karimov's congratulatory message on the Day of the Press and Media said on June 27, Interfax reported.
The message of the Head of State, published on Saturday in the media, stressed that "the most important task of media is to highlight the country's foreign and domestic policy, taking into account the pluralism of opinions, different views on what is happening."
"We would like journalists to aim to fully devote to an uncompromising struggle against evils, such as corruption, bureaucracy, parochialism, indifference to the problems of people, in other word, their life should be the credo of justice and further liberalization of our society," Karimov noted.
Karimov said the media is an effective force in shaping public opinion in relation to different kinds of negative phenomena.
Thus, the president thinks the journalists should have the active citizen position.
"I think it would be particularly appropriate to reward for the professional courage and dedication of journalists who, abandoning the rest, and sometimes even putting their lives at risk, put public interest above personal ones. In fact, in order to raise such serious topics objectively and truthfully present them in the press, a person must first have the courage and hard life principle. There is a high concept, embodying all the above - it is journalist's active civil position," Karimov stressed.
Speaking on the activities of the media, the president spoke about a growing number of media in the country.
"If fifteen years ago there were 475 media, but today they are 1,110, over 600 of which operate in regions," the president said.