Azadliq TV

Mirza Khazar — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 08:09:11 -0400

DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-185, October 26, 2005 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING
edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com

** AZERBAIJAN. MEDIA GUIDE OCTOBER 2005

Over 2,000 candidates will be contesting 125 seats in the Azerbaijani
parliament on 6 November 2005. A divided and frustrated opposition has
fought on the streets and in the media for the right to express
itself.

There is no evidence of centralized control of media outlets in
Azerbaijan but there are several centres of influence and groupings of
media sources close to politicians and civil servants.

Political pressure on printed media has varied. In 2004 it appeared to
be on the decrease but the media has since attracted the attention of
government and other forces alike. There is relatively low circulation
of newspapers and a small number of independent papers. Domestic TV
audiences are large and the press has only a limited impact. However,
the printed word has until recently been the only means by which the
opposition could express itself.

Television

TV is the most popular mass medium in Azerbaijan. Although controlled
by various means, it is probably the most influential. Pro-government
commercial stations and the state channel have mainly been seen by
media observers as mouthpieces for allies of the Aliyev government.
However the TV scene is changing: One newcomer is the long-planned
public service TV station ITV, which has yet to establish a track
record on independent reporting.

Also in its infancy is Azadliq (Freedom) TV, available via Internet
and satellite with former head of the RFE/RL Azerbaijani service Mirza Xazar and prominent journalist Ilqar Alfioglu on the staff. Azadliq TV
is said to be owned by the leader of the opposition Democratic Party
and former parliament speaker in exile, Rasul Quliyev. The channel
went on the air in September 2005 right before the parliamentary
election. Reports variously place the studios in Israel or Germany.
Changes have also been seen at the commercial channel ANS TV.

There are 4 Azerbaijani commercial TV stations based in Baku which are
also relayed across Azerbaijan. These are mostly entertainment based
but carry news and current affairs programming to varying degrees.
Though owned privately, commercial TV stations are believed to be
close to government officials. Media Holding, of which Lider TV is
part, is reportedly owned by Adalat Aliyev, President Ilham Aliyev's
cousin. ATV is said to be supported by the head of the presidential
administration, Ramiz Mehdiyev.

ANS, which is viewed as the most liberal of the TV channels, is close
to the now arrested Farhad Aliyev, former economic development
minister. The channel was observed to support him when he lashed out
against monopolies in the country. The Azerbaijani government has
never succeeded in maintaining full control over the station despite
numerous efforts. The authorities know the station enjoys enormous
support and it is now treated as more or less an independent source.

The company enjoys foreign support too, in particular that of US
ambassador to Azerbaijan, Reno Harnish, who has expressed his
satisfaction with the company's election broadcast policy. It appears
to have achieved a measure of balance. ANS has a particularly strong
position on Nagornyy Karabakh and Armenia, although no media outlet
could pursue a different policy, which would be seen as against the
national interest. The brother of owner Vahid Mustafayev was killed in
the Karabakh war and Vahid himself was a war correspondent. ANS may
well be under political and financial pressure before and after the
election, but is in quite a strong position to practise some
independent reporting.

One state TV station from Turkey and some commercial channels are
available in Baku. Azerbaijani speakers can understand the Turkish
language.

In some areas near the national borders, broadcasts from an external
Iranian channel, state TV from Armenia and the Nagornyy Karabakh
station can be received. These signals are a combination of the normal
overspill of TV signals and the careful placing of TV transmitters,
some with directional signals, in border areas. They have all been the
subject of criticism by the Azerbaijani government or the loyal
private media.

Russian national TV programmes are relayed terrestrially in
Azerbaijan, though they have been interrupted in the past for non-
payment of bills. Some officials and media have called for them to be
curbed in the past, accusing them of bias in their coverage of
Azerbaijani issues. There is a pay or "cable" TV offering in Baku
using uses encrypted microwave signals.

A handful of local TV stations started operations outside the law in
Azerbaijan as long ago as 1998. Legal moves and direct closure
resulted in some cases but in early 2002, five regional television
stations in Azerbaijan were awarded broadcast licences and others
appear to have been legitimized. None of the stations carry
controversial or overtly political programming. According to a local
media expert the local authorities have the ability to exert influence
on their local TV station through local taxes and legislation.

During the 2003 presidential elections, regional stations did carry
more reports on the opposition than national TV, but they received
cautions over this coverage.

The Voice of Mirza Xazar: Azadliq TV

Azadliq TV