16 April 2011 | 13:29

Positive coverage of Nazarbayev increased after elections

Nursultan Nazarbayev. Photo courtesy of nazarbayev2011.kz

The amount of positive coverage of Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev in the Internet increased after the elections, according to the Internet survey carried out by MediaNet International Center for Journalism under the aegis of the Freedom House. The survey was intended to study coverage and perception of April 3 presidential elections in the Internet. The survey covered the period of April 4-10. As per the survey, Nazarbayev led by the number of mentions in articles and comments before and after the elections. There was an increase in the number of positive comments to the articles after his victory. The number of articles and comments mentioning other presidential candidates significantly decreased after April 3. Mels Yeleussizov, Gani Kasymov and Zhamyl Akhmetbekov were mentioned only in the context of voting results. Head of Tabigat ecological union (Mels Yeleusizov) caused a burst of negative comments over his last moment decision to vote for Nazarbayev. The survey also showed a significant increase in activity of the Kazakh-speaking segment on the Internet. The researchers say that only Gani Kasymov retains “social activity” after the elections. He stays in touch with Kazakhstan residents via Facebook. Yeleussizov also updates his Facebook account from time to time, but he only posts information without replying to any comments. Activity of Zhambyl Akhmetbekov in Moi Mir (Russian social network) virtually ceased altogether.

The amount of positive coverage of Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev in the Internet increased after the elections, according to the Internet survey carried out by MediaNet International Center for Journalism under the aegis of the Freedom House. The survey was intended to study coverage and perception of April 3 presidential elections in the Internet. The survey covered the period of April 4-10. As per the survey, Nazarbayev led by the number of mentions in articles and comments before and after the elections. There was an increase in the number of positive comments to the articles after his victory. The number of articles and comments mentioning other presidential candidates significantly decreased after April 3. Mels Yeleussizov, Gani Kasymov and Zhamyl Akhmetbekov were mentioned only in the context of voting results. Head of Tabigat ecological union (Mels Yeleusizov) caused a burst of negative comments over his last moment decision to vote for Nazarbayev. The survey also showed a significant increase in activity of the Kazakh-speaking segment on the Internet. The researchers say that only Gani Kasymov retains “social activity” after the elections. He stays in touch with Kazakhstan residents via Facebook. Yeleussizov also updates his Facebook account from time to time, but he only posts information without replying to any comments. Activity of Zhambyl Akhmetbekov in Moi Mir (Russian social network) virtually ceased altogether.