Pro-government TV channels criminalized in Azerbaijan

Famous journalist, a professor at the Faculty of the Television and Radio Journalism of the Baku State University, Gulu Magerramov said that due to the criminalization of some television channels in Azerbaijan it’s impossible to speak about serious problems in the country.

“A key role in this plays the management of a television channel. A leader who mistakenly takes the office, is far from the art skills, is guilty in the team and is a bribe-taker, and is unable to make decisions by own. And the fear of these circumstances doesn’t allow him broadcasting critical reportages,” said Magerramov refusing to name a concrete channel.

Commenting Magerramov’s statements, Azadliq paper wrote that is sure that the journalist had kept in view the pro-government channels AzTV, Lider, Space, and AzTV first of all.

“One of our students said that people in Turkey are laughing at TV programs and shows that the AzTV airs, and describe the channel to be at a level of a primitive society,” said Gulu Magerramov. Besides, Azadliq reports that it had discovered some information about corruption activities of the Director of AzTV, Mr Arif Alyshanov.

Experts said in their interview with Azadliq that they agree with Magerramov and that he had said mostly of the AzTV state television channel. They said that the social issues should by raised by state media. “However, AzTV, obviously, doesn’t air any critical reports and programs. Sometimes, social issues are being raised by the private channels ANS, Xazar TV and ATV,” Azadliq said.