Yuri Mizinov is a founder and an editor of Zonakz.net, an online newspaper, previously known as Navigator. Zonakz.net is planning to launch blogs on their site, and Yuri Mizinov agreed to comment on blogs and citizen media for neweurasia.

Q: What is a blog for you?
The definition of a blog is well-known. But for us it has additional features. Blog is the source of information that passes by the professional journalists. Also, the blogs give the readers an opportunity to speak openly about any issues, including those that are a taboo for mass media. We plan opening a blog section on Zonakz.net next week, and the blogs would be possible to open only with the editor’s permission. This would be a specific feature of our blogs. We will open blogs for famous people and those of our readers who can express themselves in a coherent way. Thus, we would like to limit the useless part of blogging (as we think) and making reading of the blogs a really interesting experience

Q: What is the state of citizen journalism in Kazakhstan?
I actually prefer the term “people’s journalism”. I think that people are ready to share the information in the Internet in Kazakhstan. There are two problems though: first, the Internet is still expensive and its penetration in Kazakhstan leaves much to be desired. The second problem is that people are afraid to write online, even anonymously. They are scared that the special services can track them down and apply violence to them. Especially after the recent announcement by the general prosecutor that the bloggers are responsible for the distribution of unchecked information of insulting character and the information, that, as the prosecutors think, incites the inter-ethnic hatred. This fear is definitely being spread by someone, but really, it is just physically impossible to control everything that is being said in the Internet. It would require half of the country sitting in front of their computers and tracking down the IP addresses, it is just not possible.

Q: Then what do you think about Kazis Toguzbayev’s case?
I think that Kazis Toguzbayev went beyond the limits of legitimacy. I am certainly against the persecution of the journalists, and I don’t think it is right when the president does something as unworthy as suing a journalist. But in this case, the articles of Kazis were not exactly politically correct. However, I also condemn the law-enforcement agencies that started this legal process. I think this case did not add the points to the president…

Q: What do you think is needed for the “people’s journalism” to flourish?
Accessible Internet – cheaper, faster. So that people could upload photos, video and watch them too. For instance, there is a big potential with the owners of mobile phones with photo- and video cameras. Imagine a person walking along the street, and seeing that something interesting is going on – she can immediately film it on her phone. Professional media just cannot compete with it, what are the chances that a professional journalist with equipment would be at the right place and at the right time?

We also need sites that would allow blogging. There should be more of the sites like that. But the sites should be promoted and well-known, then the blogs will be interesting and they will be read.

Q: Should local and international organizations engage into promoting blogs?
I was present at several blogging seminars and I must say that the last seminar in Bishkek was most notable for its professionalism, as opposed to some others. I remember Evgeny Morozov’s presentation, which was very interesting. I think that there is a use of these seminars, but they should be led by professionals, those who can contribute to the development of blogging. They should be conducted in different cities in Kazakhstan, and involve more people, more journalists, have not 30, but 100 participants.