Euronews launches Kazakh language broadcasting in Astana
As part of its continued development in Central Asia, Euronews now takes the strategic step to launch its new Kazakh language service and bring its European-perspective journalism and global coverage to Kazakhstan.
Euronews is launching a new channel broadcasting its global content in the Kazakh language as part of its strategic development plans in Kazakhstan to bring its unique perspective in journalism, as well as its coverage of the country and the wider Central Asia region to the viewers of Kazakhstan and beyond amid the region's rising influence.
The launch of Euronews' Kazakh language broadcast across Kazakhstan comes after two years of the international channel signing a partership with the Kazakhstan, followed by the launch of its editorial hub in Astana and an editorial office in Almaty — a global media first — and it will become Euronews' 20th linguistic service, among 14 language services and six franchise channels.
It will also be the first Central Asian language to be added to the media's worldwide broadcasting network.
During a launch event in Astana on Tuesday, Euronews chairman Pedro Vargas David said that as a main Eurasian language and thus a European language, “Kazakh will have an important space inside our Euronews family.”
Vargas David underlined that the launch of the language reflects the channel's ambition to expand its diverse offering and presence in the region, and bring Euronews' brand of journalism to Kazakhstan and Central Asia, connecting European and global content.
“Euronews’ Kazakh language channel is not a new or another local media in Kazakhstan, it is an international news channel broadcasting in Kazakh, with a distinct value proposition to our audiences, to offer them the full facts of all global events with Euronews’ general purpose of contributing to well informed societies,” the Euronews chairman said.
Kazakhstan’s First Vice Minister of Culture and Information Kanat Iskakov said in the name of Kazakhstan’s government that “the launch of Euronews’ Kazakh language broadcast is a historic event, a milestone for Kazakhstan and a media service that we had to have.”
“Euronews used to broadcast in Russia in Kazakhstan, now we will broadcast Euronews in Kazakh,” Iskakov said adding that the new media service “will convey impetus and development for the Kazakh language in general.”
“Having Euronews here and launching Kazakhstan’s broadcasting will sincerely serve our nation, conveying news and everything that is happening in the world, now in the Kazakh language,” the first vice minister of Culture and Information said.
For the country, the launch of an international channel in Kazakh will elevate the status of the language globally while giving residents access to Euronews' trademark international content based on its long-standing editorial values of independence, objectivity, accuracy, fairness which define its factual journalism.
The network's global news content produced by its global and diverse newsroom will be produced into the Kazakh language and broadcast on television and digital platforms, including YouTube broadcasting.
Euronews started its expansion in Central Asia in 2024, officially opening its first office in Astana — which also acts as Euronews' regional editorial hub in December 2024, with the Tashkent and Baku bureaus following shortly after.
This was part of Euronews' strategic move to cover the massive developments in the region with dedicated staff operating in these countries' capitals as well as bring Euronews global content to inform its audiences in these countries of all European and global evolutions.
Euronews' team of highly qualified journalists in Astana and Almaty is also expanding to produce the coverage of Kazakhstan and the language service broadcasting from now in the Kazakh language.
In addition to covering the daily Kazakhstan and Central Asian news events, the team also produces Kazakhstan-based current affairs programmes broadcast worldwide in the most important Euronews' language services, anchored from Astana and the region, such as Modern Nomads, East-West Connect, and Voices of Central Asia.
Euronews' Astana bureau is also hosting this week Euronews' first Asian bureaus editorial seminar, gathering its World teams from Qatar, UAE, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, aimed at connecting, unifying and maximising Euronews' global editorial force.
“We want to be in Kazakhstan for many years to come, to share stories, in a sign of utmost respect for the Kazakh language, for the people of Kazakhstan and for the country in general,” the Euronews chairman concluded in Astana.
