OSCE seminar discusses the role of press services in interaction between state institutions and media

An OSCE-organized training seminar on establishing press services of state institutions and organizing their work took place on 9 and 10 July 2024 in Ashgabat.

The two-day seminar exposed representatives of key government bodies and national media to  best communications practices of state institutions, their structure and main functions, as well as the formats of interaction between state institutions and media.

International experts from Lithuania explored the role of press services in facilitating strategic, daily and crisis communication and presented major communication challenges, such as multiple messages, multiple media channels and different audiences.

“The OSCE attaches particular importance to the issues of media freedom and development, as well as access to information,” said William Leaf, Officer-in-Charge of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

He also mentioned the Concluding Document of the 1989 Vienna Meeting of the Conference for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the OSCE’s predecessor, which stated that participating States will “make further efforts to facilitate the freer and wider dissemination of information of all kinds” and “to encourage co-operation in the field of information.”

“Press services are playing a vital role in ensuring interaction between state institutions and the media and it’s our firm belief that this event will also contribute to establishing new working contacts, and strengthening co-operation between press services and media,” added Leaf.

The experts also presented communications instruments and shared recommendations on how to efficiently communicate and prevent communication crisis.  

Participants discussed the needs of modern media and journalists and how press service can better meet their expectations. They had an opportunity to practice their public speaking skills and engage in simulation exercises.