Interview with Aidar Musin, Co-founder of “Qualitron Kazakhstan”.
A Tragic Family History and the Influence of His Father on His Career
– When were you born, and who are your parents?
I was born on April 15, 1980, in Almaty. My family has a long history connected to television. My father, Kunafiya Musin, worked in television for over 45 years. He was one of the founders of Kazakh television in the sound engineering department.
My mother, Roza Musina, is a doctor by profession. She worked for a long time at the Republican Hospital and later at the Hospital of the Council of Ministers of Kazakhstan. Thankfully, she is still alive and well. She is 81 years old and enjoying her well-deserved retirement.
– Are you an only child, or do you have siblings?
I have an older brother, but he is not involved in television. He pursued a career in science and works in the field of physics.
– Are you close in age, or is there a significant age difference?
We are half-brothers with a significant age difference. He was born from my father’s first marriage.
– What happened to your father’s first wife?
My father’s first wife and younger son perished in a mudflow in Medeo. The situation was connected to my father’s professional activities. At that time, sound engineers had to record sound effects themselves and build a sound library. They were recording the sounds of the river and bird chirping. On that fateful day, July 15, 1973, they combined work with leisure at the “Gorelnik” tourist base.
My father was working when he suddenly heard a rumbling sound, comparable to a bomb explosion, and the ground shook. He looked towards the mountains and saw a massive mud and rock slide, as tall as a five-story building. The wave was about 12 meters high and moved at an incredible speed. He managed to shout, “Run.” He was swept away by the first wave and remembered nothing after that. On that tragic day, my father lost his wife and younger son.
– How did his life unfold after this catastrophe?
When my father met my mother, his elder son was already an adult — he was 18 years old. Naturally, my father talked to him about his new relationship, and he was supportive. My parents got married, and soon after, I was born.
After the tragedy, my father gave me some leeway, but he did not spoil us. He taught me honesty and integrity, using examples from books and life.
How Television Became a Part of My Life
– What role has television played in your life?
As an adult, I understand that my father had a reason for taking me to the television station. He wanted me to absorb the culture and spirit there. The people in that environment were very intellectually developed — writers, actors, and academics.
– So, you have been connected to television since birth?
From a very early age, around five years old, I practically grew up among television professionals and was constantly with my father at work. That was when my first acquaintance with technology began.
I did not experience black-and-white broadcasting, but I witnessed the transition of television from analog to digital formats, as well as from monophonic to stereophonic sound. We were also witnesses to the transition to cassette media, as before, large reels of film were used. One reel could hold 30 minutes of recording, and a one-hour program required 2-3 reels.
– Did your life run parallel to the evolution of television?
Over these decades, there have been tremendous changes, including in audio production. Everything has become much simpler. In the past, there were large analog tape recorders like the MEZ-28, with tape speeds of 38.1/76.1, and the tape was loaded outside. Then came the transition to STM 200, with speeds of 19 and 38, and the 610 STM. Today, when I tell the younger generation about this, they can hardly believe it was possible.
– How was the process of recording and editing audio and video carried out in the past?
I remember how we used to record audio dubs or soundtracks. It wasn’t like today, where you can easily change something on a computer, insert or cut out parts. Back then, we had to cut the tape and splice it together with tape. Of course, it was very difficult and time-consuming.
– Television is a constant rush. It’s hard to imagine keeping to a schedule under such conditions today…
Nevertheless, people managed to get everything done. I remember how my father went on business trips, and I accompanied him on some of them. They used an analog “Reporter,” still reel-to-reel, to record something, then synchronized and transferred it to large reels. Everything was edited, preserved, and then the material was broadcast.
– Modern information production and the production back then are worlds apart, right?
At that time, they filmed on 16mm film. The sound was recorded separately on a “Reporter” tape recorder. The film had to be developed, the negative converted to positive, spliced together, and only then could it be broadcast.
– Such work requires special qualities from the performers.
I was fortunate to be part of that old team, although, sadly, many are no longer with us. We learned from these people and absorbed the production technology. It’s very painful at times to realize that the materials from that era, which were of quite high quality — both audio and video content, sometimes unattainable today — have vanished without a trace.
– Why are they disappearing?
They are not being digitized. Perhaps some efforts are being made now, but unfortunately, most materials are already lost. I remember my father repeatedly suggesting that we record veterans, writers, and those who truly contributed to history, culture, and science. Even if these recordings wouldn’t be broadcast, they were essential for future generations. He wasn’t listened to, so he started preserving these materials for himself.
– Was that allowed?
I remember one time when my father went to the archives of Kazakh Radio and saw boxes of reels prepared for disposal. He was outraged and took all the reels with him.
– What was on those reels?
There were speeches and broadcasts featuring Mukhtar Auezov about the creation of the novel “Abai,” and a speech by Kanysh Satpayev, the president of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR. I have these audio recordings stored and digitized. The reels themselves are also preserved in good quality. We saved them together with my father, who was still alive and well at the time.
– Surely this is just a small part of your unique collection?
We digitized a lot onto DAT tapes and then transferred them to computer media. We still preserve all the original reels to this day and honor their memory. My father always said that originals should be kept and treated with the utmost care.
– What is the fate of the video and film archives of Kazakh Television?
As for the video and film archives, much has been lost due to the different storage and viewing technologies. Unfortunately, the spirit of Kazakh television has been lost.
– How was it expressed?
When we visited the television station as children, it was something special. Everything started with a coat check and a beautiful wardrobe with a red carpet. After the collapse of the USSR, all of this was lost. Now, efforts are being made to revive the traditions of Kazakh television.
– In what way?
While in the leadership of Kazakh television, I repeatedly suggested creating an analog to the “Nostalgia” channel. On such a channel, the youth could watch materials from the Soviet period. By today’s standards, the visual quality might not be the highest, but the content is very interesting and informative.
First Experience with Television: Military Parade and an Incident in the Studio
– What is your first memory related to television?
My father took me to the military parade on November 7, 1985, where I saw a live broadcast for the first time. I was 5 years old. There were OB vans like AjokkiBanga, PTVS, Tonwagen, Lichtwagen, and a small EVM in the lineup.
– What details of the project do you remember?
I explored everything, looked around, and started asking my father questions. I said, “Dad, this OB van is making the picture we see on television.” Nearby were white “PAZ” buses, RTSV, which housed “Kadr 3-PM” video recorders. It was unique at the time, and today all of this fits into one minivan.
– What is your second most vivid memory related to your experience in television?
I was captivated by it. At that moment, I realized I truly wanted to be in this environment and absorb everything I could. Despite my young age, I understood that this was the future, it was progress, it was technology. Starting in 1986, I often went to the television station. In 1985-1986, a new television complex, ASK-2, was put into operation. These were two large studios, each over 600 square meters. One hosted the Alatau TV channel broadcast, and the other recorded small programs.
– What is your second most vivid memory related to your experience in television?
I remember the large reels for the STM tape recorders at 38 speed. The reels had cores that held the spool. I accidentally pulled one reel out and it unwound. It was a disaster. And the worst part was that in just an hour and a half, that reel was supposed to go on air!
Understand, it had a speech by Dimash Akhmedovich Kunayev. A government speech. My father didn’t scold me, but we looked for a solution together. We manually gathered the reel throughout the sound department. My father was upset, I was ashamed, but I understood the effort involved.
– Have there been any other emergency situations?
My father told a story about when he started working at Kazakh Radio. He was the only Kazakh sound engineer working on the air. They had two reels of tape: one was the master, and the other was the pre-master. The pre-master didn’t have the sound accompaniment. One of the staff mistakenly handed over the wrong reel. As a result, a broadcast aired in the morning without songs.
School, and Across the Street, KazTV
– Which school did you attend?
I studied at School No. 23 named after Klochkov, located on Satpayev Street, a patronage school of Kazakh Television and Radio. The school’s uniqueness was defined by its proximity to KazTV.
– How did this proximity affect the school?
In the most direct way. Many high school students went for work practice and studied OB vans, Tonwagen, Lichtwagen, and PTVS. It was a signal — in the future, a student might connect their fate with television. The younger classes made boxes for magnetic tapes for the Kazakh Radio phonotheque during labor lessons, went on excursions, and even participated in radio programs and TV reports.
– Which school subjects did you like the most?
I wouldn’t say I was an exemplary student, like most boys. We got into mischief, studied, and got grades ranging from threes to fours, with the occasional two. I didn’t have an aptitude for exact sciences, but I loved literature and geography. I consistently got fours and fives in those subjects.
– What memories do you associate with your school years?
School years were a unique time. I studied with children of prominent figures in art, culture, and science, and we communicated with each other. We shared “forbidden” things, like recordings of foreign pop songs, and copied albums. We treated these materials with great care.
– Did you attend a Kazakh school?
Until the 5th or 6th grade, I studied at a Russian school. After that, I switched to a Kazakh school. I remember my first teacher telling my parents that I was constantly distracted, but whenever asked about literature, I always knew the answer. She tried to encourage and support my enthusiasm.
– What other memories do you have from those school years?
High school students introduced us to good music. We listened to “Chicago.” We had many common interests, and we still keep in touch with our classmates.
– Why were you transferred to a Kazakh lyceum?
The first reason was that Kazakhstan gained sovereignty and became an independent state. Gradually, everything started to transition to the state language. It was important to understand that in the future, knowledge of the state language would be in demand. When I was studying at a Russian school, we rarely used Kazakh in everyday life and mostly spoke Russian. My father decided to enroll me in a Kazakh lyceum. It was very difficult for me at first. I almost cried and wanted to quit. This is the first reason. To this day, I am grateful to my father that I graduated from that Kazakh school.
The second reason was that we moved.
– You effectively gained another language at a very high level, right?
Absolutely. It was the right decision by my father. I have even transferred my younger son to a Kazakh school, although he previously studied at a Russian school. We live in Kazakhstan, we represent the nation, and we must know the state language. Not just learn it mechanically, but think in it.
– Why not start in a Kazakh school right away?
Firstly, the foundation. I believe, at least in my understanding, that the foundation should be in the Russian language. The language of culture is embedded in literature: Pushkin, Chekhov, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy.
Of course, Kazakh literature is also strong. Transitioning to a Kazakh school allowed us to rediscover the sayings of Abay Kunanbayev. There is even a monument to him in Moscow. We read him in Russian school, but in Kazakh, you start to understand the depth and breadth of his statements, their purpose, and intention. If a writer is talented, then the translator should be equally talented.
From School Years to a Career in TV Journalism
– Where did you decide to go after school?
After finishing school, I enrolled at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in the Faculty of International Television Journalism.
At that time, the country was in complete anarchy. It was a confusing period. Factories and plants were being shut down, there was unemployment and a lack of money.
The first commercial television channels started appearing in Kazakhstan. Advertising production began. I realized then that I could continue down this path, despite the collapse of state television, the lack of subsidies, and the closure of many organizations. I chose my direction: I shouldn’t abandon the field that resonates with me. I told my father that I would apply to the Faculty of Journalism, specifically in television journalism.
– How did your studies proceed, and what teaching methods were used?
When we arrived at Kazakh National University (KazGU), there were many of my father’s friends and colleagues. He introduced me to Marat Barmankov, a great man and a professor with a capital “P,” the forefather of many, if not all, journalists who still work in mass media today.
I submitted my documents, took the exam, and passed. The uniqueness of our department was that we were taught in an unconventional way. At that time, everything was divided into two coalitions: journalism itself and television production. Our professor, Marat Karibaevich, emphasized that it was important to remember that television would be different tomorrow. You must be able to shoot, edit, and write. The day would come when you would have to replace 3-4 professions yourself.
I remember he had a small Hi8 Sony camcorder. I had a Video 8 camera. He showed us for the first time how to edit and create material using these tools. It was really interesting and unique because two small 90-minute tapes could hold entire stories.
– What changes did your professor’s trips abroad bring to the teaching methods?
Marat Karibaevich was an extraordinary person who traveled extensively, visiting South Korea and the USA. When he returned from South Korea, the focus of our training changed. Instead of meticulously “polishing” the material, the emphasis shifted to the events themselves. What makes a story interesting? Its authenticity. He taught us how to use noise inserts effectively. This marked the beginning of a correct and positive approach to producing news content. We learned to quickly find materials, produce them, and broadcast them efficiently.
– Where did you intern, and what lessons did you learn?
I interned at KTK TV channel. There, I worked with Isaak Yakovlevich Dvorkin, an outstanding person and a professional in his field. During the Soviet period, he produced materials for the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, for the program “Vremya.” He was one of the leading correspondent journalists for “Vremya” in Kazakhstan.
I remember his words vividly. My colleague and I returned from a report without being able to get an interview. He said his famous phrase: “For God’s sake, remember, if they don’t let you in through the door, climb in through the window. Bring back the material so it can be in the six o’clock news.” We went back and almost climbed in through a window to get that material.
– Did you work during your studies?
Yes, starting from my first year, I worked at Kazakh Radio and Television.
– How did your career develop?
In 1996, I started as an intern at the state Kazakh television. At that time, commercial TV channels were beginning to open, but I had grown up within the walls of Kazakh television. It felt like the right place to start, as I was familiar with the environment and the atmosphere from childhood.
– Where did you start?
I expected to be put straight to the control panel and taught everything. Instead, I ended up in the camera department, carrying tripods. Later, I had the honor of charging the batteries.
– How did your career progress from there?
I was then made an engineer’s assistant. They assigned me to the most basic SVHS equipment. I went to my father and complained, but he told me that I needed to go through this tough training to grow and become a professional: “When you’re in a leadership position, you’ll understand your subordinates and the television production process.
No cameraman, engineer, or lighting technician will be able to deceive you because you will have gone through it all yourself. You will know how long it takes to charge a battery and how long it lasts.”
– When did you move further in your career?
I began to climb the hierarchical ladder from the SVHS control room to a two-axis BetacamSP setup, even without a controller or mixing console. This journey allowed me to develop into a professional. Not all leaders have this experience. I remember in 2003, when I was working as a director, a famous person came and said that the Betacam tape was running out and the continuation needed to be recorded on the other side. I was shocked and had to provide my own tape. But time shows who is who.
First Job at GalaTV
– What was your first job after graduating from university?
During my studies, I was already on staff. I joined the production center GalaTV, led by Galina Kuzembayeva. She was a professional in her field, the chief editor of “Propaganda” on Kazakh television, and a colleague of my father. At that time, she had the opportunity to open a production center.
– Who was GalaTV producing content for?
At that time, GalaTV covered 75% of “Khabar’s” broadcast.
– That’s a significant order.
Yes, but in reality, everything was very modest. I joined the project “Tіlashar.” It was a small studio, and Galina Leonidovna used two Sony VX-1000 semi-professional MiniDV and SVHS AG 455 cameras. Together, we created good content. We edited wherever we could. Our editing was done at Alexander Golovinsky’s studio “X B,” and then we moved to the President’s tele-radio complex. We were constantly moving around the city and never knew where we would be editing on any given day.
– How long did you work at the production center?
I worked at the production center for a year and three months. I started as a sound operator, then became an assistant director, and finally, a director.
– What did you do after working at GalaTV?
After that, I moved to the TV channel “Southern Capital,” where the chief executive was Isaak Yakovlevich Dvorkin. From this point, my career began to develop rapidly. While we had gained experience in creating projects and programs before, at my new position, I faced new challenges.
– Can you tell us more about your time at GalaTV?
At GalaTV, there was an advertising agency called Big Advertising. It was there that I first encountered the expertise of Lev Mariupolsky. Lev Mariupolsky is now one of the strongest producers of media content for television. He has spent his entire life in mass media and has never changed his profession.
– What role were you assigned, and how did it affect your career?
I was given the role of director and transitioned to live broadcasting. It was daunting because, in a news program, you can’t stop, rewind, and start over. We had to successfully manage 30 minutes on air.
It was then that I realized how important professional news production is and how quickly and efficiently we could create amazing things that inspire, bring experience, and confidence. We began actively enhancing our skills, absorbing new knowledge and techniques.
– What happened after “Southern Capital”?
I joined the KTK TV channel in 2002. I was appointed director of the project “Portrait of the Week.” I stayed there for a relatively short time, about six months. Although KTK was one of the leading, most popular, and best channels at the time, I didn’t like it there.
– What specifically didn’t you like?
In a large team, the work got lost; I didn’t get the drive. I realized there wouldn’t be further career success or professional growth, so I needed to move on. I didn’t want to return to the “Khabar” agency, as I had collaborated with “Khabar” through GalaTV. There was no development there, and just working for a salary wasn’t for me.
Presidential Tele-radio Complex
– Where did fate take you next?
I joined the Presidential Tele-radio Complex. In Kazakhstan, this was the top league — the best technologies, the best technical equipment, the best personnel, and the advanced Digital Betacam technology, the first in the CIS.
– Was this in Astana?
Yes, I moved to Astana. My supervisor was Makhkat Sadykov. He also came from Kazakh radio and television, a very professional and highly qualified journalist. He had worked for a long time in the field of news and television production.
– What position did you take?
I joined as a director and started learning the basics of documentary filmmaking. I produced 25 films, including a film about the foreign policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the head of state, and our regions. We understood what documentary filmmaking is and how it should be approached. In news, everything is fast-paced, but in documentaries, the material needs to mature; every 5-10 seconds should be valuable.
– How do you evaluate different aspects of media production?
Every aspect of media production is unique. You can’t generalize television and say that producing TV shows can be compared to producing news or that news production is the same as making a documentary film.
We encountered this firsthand when we recorded the sayings of a famous writer, and exactly two weeks later, he passed away suddenly due to a heart attack. I remembered the words of our mentor, Amangeldy Smailbekov, that every second, every frame is incredibly valuable. We meticulously collected every saying because the person was no longer with us, and we couldn’t re-record or reshoot. We treated every second of footage with great care.
– Did you have to work live?
Yes, during field shoots where everything was different. We had to learn a lot, discover new things, abandon established stereotypes, and approach each production stage in a new way.
After working at the Presidential Tele-radio Complex, I worked at two TV companies for a while: “Era TV” (now “Seventh Channel”) and simultaneously at the “Astana” channel — ASTV. This was between 2004 and 2006.
– It sounds like you could write a book titled “Journey through the TV Channels of Kazakhstan.”
Actually, something unique happened there — directing began to intersect with the technical direction.
– Can you elaborate on that?
The “Era TV” channel, now known as “Seventh Channel,” opened. The head was Mirbulat Kunbayev. I expressed my desire to participate and contribute to the establishment of the TV company. He warned me about the low salary and emphasized that they needed a technical director but couldn’t afford a professional. So, I decided to try my hand at it. Mirbulat Tokmurzaevich invested his own money and bought the equipment.
– Who was the integrator?
SynhroPRO. We started installing the equipment, although funds were limited. The solution was simple: a two-post DVCAM, four Sony DVCAM-250 cameras, one Sony DVCAM-370 for the studio, two non-linear editing systems Matrox-RTX 100, and one for broadcast, the simplest mixers, Panasonic MX70.
– Quite a variety of brands.
We had to find a way, and together we did. We implemented tapeless production, which was quite fantastic at the time. We brought in a two-channel GEEVS server with very little memory. We had several incidents where, for example, during morning broadcasts, the GEEVS server would freeze. I didn’t know what to do, sweating bullets, and we would switch to a backup DVCAM with a tape.
This process also left its mark on our development. We faced the production of stories on non-linear editing. This increased the speed of production and the transmission of materials to the server. We built an internal network and realized that the future lay in this direction.
ASTV
– How did you end up at ASTV?
As time went on, I continued to develop. I was invited to the ASTV channel, where I opened a dubbing studio. We did the first dubbing of our own content into the state language, as the law on bilingualism came into full force. 50% of TV broadcasting had to be in the state language.
– Another twist in your career?
This was also a unique experience. Not just as a director, engineer, or sound engineer, but also interacting with actors, stenographers, and editors. It’s a microcosm within a larger mass media environment. You realize that dubbing is also a very labor-intensive job that requires attention. It’s not just about mechanical translation but conveying emotions. You need to deliver it with your voice so that the viewer perceives the content correctly.
Astana Film Distribution
– What happened after that, and why did you leave?
Time passed. I had a family, and my children were growing up. I needed to focus on both professional and financial aspects.
– That sounds convincing.
In 2006, I opened my own production center — the national company AstanaFilm Distribution.
– An ambitious name.
We dealt with the sale of TV rights for film production and dubbing for the company “Zharyk,” an electronic cinema project “Nurl@n.” We did the first dubbing in the state language for them. It was a challenging task.
– What was challenging about it?
Dubbing for TV and radio companies involves two-channel accompaniment, essentially mono broadcasting. Here, we were tasked with doing it in 5.1. Imagine, 5.1 in the state language. With the resources we had. It’s not Los Angeles, where you have a whole studio, Dolby equipment, DTS, and consoles. We didn’t have any of that. We had to do it programmatically, on non-linear editing stations like Adobe Audition and Cubase. We managed to get close to 5.1.
We collaborated with the Finnish company QualitronOb.
QualitronOb
– Radio, TV, dubbing studio, distribution, system integration – quite a history.
We were interested in digital cinema, but the ministry didn’t support our CCP project. We decided to try our hand at another field, supplying equipment for field TV production. At that time, the market monopolist in Kazakhstan was the Moscow integrator “Okno TV.” Competing with “Okno TV” was, unfortunately, not easy. Then a new company, QualitronOb, entered the market. In 2008, we started full cooperation with the Finns.
– What goals did you set for yourself when starting a new business?
The goal was to do live broadcasting — live from event locations. Before, there was only pseudo-live broadcasting. We decided to present a project on mobile units. QualitronOb had already done several projects in Georgia using Defender vehicles.
We later had disagreements with the technical management of the client TV company regarding the antenna. But QualitronOb stood their ground, demonstrating the capabilities and cost-effectiveness of the solution.
– Where did you start?
We were among the first to bring XDCAM XD cameras to Kazakhstan, along with two TV units, two Chevrolet Suburban jeeps.
QualitronOb successfully completed the task. The extended and reinforced base of the Chevrolet Suburban vehicles was beautifully and professionally done inside.
Asian Games
– How did your career progress from there?
I was invited as a consultant for sports TV and radio broadcasting for the Asian Games.
Initially, I was a strategic partner. Then I was invited to work in the executive directorate of the Asian Games. I was the head of the TV and radio broadcasting and media technology department. “Khabar” was supposed to do the filming, but I knew they wouldn’t be able to handle it, not even organize it properly. Many companies did not perform well. Everyone thought they just needed to set up box equipment, plug in cameras, but no one had any idea about sports broadcasting.
– How did you solve the problem?
We were shown the professionalism of our Finnish TV colleagues. It turned out to be a completely different world, different technologies. I was impressed not only by their role as system integrators and suppliers of TV equipment but also as technologists.
– What impressed you about the Finnish colleagues?
We realized we knew nothing about sports broadcasting. We didn’t know what a host broadcast meeting was, what unilateral and multilateral broadcasting were, or what mix zones were — we knew nothing. These were the first terms I heard from our Finnish colleagues.
– What else did they introduce to Kazakh TV professionals?
They acted impeccably. They actively consulted and involved OBS (Olympic Broadcasting Services) in the project. Kazakhstan also engaged international auditors for TV and radio broadcasting, including Patrick Furlong from PTFI Media and a specialist from FIS (International Ski and Snowboard Federation), Mr. Horst. We rediscovered the entire palette of TV production.
– Who did you collaborate with at QualitronOb?
Besides the media production expertise of my international colleagues from IGBS (International Game Broadcast Service), I was impressed by the experience of QualitronOb specialists, including Alexander Baranov, Andrey Kretov, Tapani Karyalainen, and Olga Govorko. They introduced us to 7.1 sound for sports games and helped us reimagine and understand modern sports TV production.
– What technological innovations did they bring?
For example, we learned about commentator positions and PTP (Positioning Technology Platform). A mobile TV station arrives, and instead of long cables, it uses short cables. On the stadium or sports venue, a Wallbox is set up, connecting the camera via fiber optic cables. They showed not only the broadcasting process but also the preparation for it.
– How long did the project last?
I worked for about two years. It was an excellent school, almost like an MBA, a second higher education. We went through every object, doing almost 3D modeling of each. Constant schematics, drawings, signal transmission, and distribution. We also faced the stereotype that delivering equipment meant setting up cameras and editing stations and that was it.
No! The first and most important thing where money is made is technology; the second is passive infrastructure, cabling. We realized that the foundation is the cable network infrastructure. We focused on passive equipment, technology, production, and preparation because there were no service technicians at that time.
And again, I want to emphasize that QualitronOb was invited as the main broadcaster together with IGBS (International Games Broadcast Services). They came with their specialists and executed the broadcast from scratch.
– How else did you collaborate with QualitronOb?
One unique project was the supply of two mobile 20-camera TV stations. It was the largest Full HD project with expandable blocks, “head” separate, “tail” separate. I first saw such a mobile TV station in Finland. When two such unique TV units were brought to Kazakhstan, it created a sensation. It was a significant technological and creative breakthrough for our country.
– What impact did this have?
After this, TV and sports broadcasting began to take shape. The Qazsport channel was launched, which now occupies its niche, has its ratings, viewers, and audience. Working with professionals and exchanging experiences with international colleagues positively impacts the entire broadcasting industry.
– Did you work with QualitronOb until they closed their business?
Until 2013, until the Sochi Olympics. We started preparing for the Sochi games diligently, but then our paths diverged. The market began to be monopolized again.
– What did you decide to do then?
I slightly changed my career path. In 2019, I switched fields.
In 2019, I moved to another sector, working with low-current systems, which is closely related but separate from broadcasting. After the pandemic, we gradually returned to the mass media market.
– How has the market changed?
Unfortunately, the world and technologies have changed so much that it’s hard to keep up. YouTube channels, TikTok, Instagram, social networks, and other platforms have overshadowed traditional television. Traditional TV has become secondary, and we have reoriented towards social networks.
– What do you do in social networks?
We handle online broadcasting and technical equipment.
– Have you become partially a production and rental company?
We tried to introduce
technical services for events in the mass media field, but the leadership, focused on monopoly, did not see the development potential in this direction.
We proposed projects to revive professional recording outside the studio. We had a good solution with the Italian company Alert, including the idea of creating a radio studio based on a Mercedes vehicle. Unfortunately, our proposal was not accepted.
– Can you tell us more about your family? How did you meet your children’s mother?
We married very young. My wife, Gauhar, was 19, and I was 21. But the marriage has been strong.
– You mentioned having three children.
Yes, our eldest daughter, Aruzhan, was born in 2003. She is now studying journalism and is a media designer. Our second daughter, Anel, was born in 2007. She followed in her grandfather’s and my footsteps and enrolled in the College of Theatre, Film, and Television. They teach the basics of internet broadcasting and media production for online platforms. We are already beginning to speak the same language, the language of media producers, and she is starting to understand what editing is, how to apply effects, and so on.
– What about your son, Akezhan?
Akezhan is still young, but he is also starting to get involved in the arts, not television specifically, but more in the media space. He makes videos and tries to edit them. These are just childhood whims, but they are the basics, the beginnings of what could lead him to a path in media production tomorrow.
I HAVE TO PASS ON THE SPIRIT OF TELEMASTERSHIP TO THE NEXT GENERATION
Looking at my children, I realize that the passion for television, the media business, and technical media production was instilled by my father, their grandfather. It is something that is being passed down through the generations.
– What do you consider your greatest achievement in your professional career?
I am grateful to my fate, grateful to the Almighty, and grateful to my parents, especially my father. I had the unique honor of witnessing the evolution of television over the past four decades. Today, I can pass on this knowledge to my children, my colleagues, my students, and those younger than me who are just now discovering the world of mass media. They can truly understand what came “before.”
My achievement is in passing on the spirit of television production and craftsmanship to the next generation. I believe my achievement lies in integrating new technologies and the knowledge I have gained with my friends and colleagues.
Career Highlights:
2009-2010: Head of TV and Radio Broadcasting and Media Technology for the 7th Winter Asian Games 2011, Advisor on Broadcast Systems to the Head of Construction Management of the Akim’s Office in Almaty.
2007-2009: Deputy Chairman of the Board for Technical Issues at RTRK Kazakhstan.
2004-2007: TV Channel “Astana,” Advisor to the General Director on Technical Issues – Program Director.
2002-2004: Presidential Tele-radio Complex of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Director. Also Technical Director of “Era TV” now TV7.
2001-2002: TV Company KTK, Director.
1999-2001: TV and Radio Company “Southern Capital” now TV Channel “Almaty,” Chief Director of Information Programs in the Russian Editorial Office.
1998-1999: TV Company Shahar, Producer of Youth Programs.
1997-1998: Production Center GalaTV, Sound Engineer.
1995-1996: Kazakh Television, Assistant Director.
