Azerbaijan: Baku Confronts Mass Media Paradox

Azerbaijan's government earlier in 2009 took action to restrain the reach of foreign broadcasters, in particular radio outlets like the British Broadcasting Corp. and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Now, a key member of President Ilham Aliyev's administration is calling on state-run outlets to improve the quality of their broadcasts. However, as they contemplate ways to attract eyeballs back to state broadcasts, Azerbaijani officials are facing a paradox: authoritarian political environments tend not to be incubators of mass media innovation.

In an October 2 article published in the state newspaper Azerbaijan, presidential Chief-of-Staff Ramiz Mehtiyev harshly criticized national TV channels for broadcasting "vapid and low-grade programs" that focus more on entertainment than news. Thanks to journalists' "low level of . . . professionalism" and "low-quality programs" Azerbaijanis "simply don't watch national TV channels," he wrote.

"Most of these programs are dedicated to topics that have no public importance," Mehtiyev charged. As a result "national values" are being undermined by financial interests, he claimed. "The number of programs having a negative influence on society's moral development is increasing on Azerbaijani TV."

Despite the government's efforts to curtail broadcasting by foreign outlets into Azerbaijan, Mehtiyev named the BBC and CNN as examples for Azerbaijan's own stations to emulate. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

Some media observers believe the Mehtiyev article was prompted by the alarming fall in TV audience figures for state-run channels, which are the main conduit used by officials to shape public opinion.

While agreeing with Mehtiyev's general criticism of state-controlled channels, independent media expert Zeynal Mammedli noted that the chief-of-staff was overlooking the root causes of the problem. State-owned channels are subject to rigorous government control, and they do not face any substantive competition. Without competition, Mammedli contended, it is unrealistic to expect innovation.

Recent independent surveys have shown that national channels attract at most 17 viewers out of every 100, said Mammedli. Most Azerbaijani viewers prefer to watch Russian and Turkish TV programs, as reflected in the sharp increase in cable and satellite TV subscribers, he continued.

"The decreased variety of news, [and] the absence of debates on TV, [has] pushed people to watch foreign programs," he asserted. "It is the result of an absence of competition in the TV market, and the fact that all TV channels are managed by orders from one source."

"[Azerbaijani] TV channels are not free in their selection of topics for programs. They [operate] in fear," Mammedli continued.

So far, Mehtiyev's call for reform has resulted mainly in a rollback of interactivity -- something that is more likely to drive people away from a particular program than attract new viewers. In response to the criticism, for example, national TV stations cancelled entertainment programs that included audience voting by SMS -- another pet peeve for Mehtiyev. Some have become cultural programs.

"We do not see radical changes or real reforms on TV channels," commented Arif Aliyev, chairman of the Yeni Nesil Journalists' Union. "Really independent" TV stations that are not "controlled by the government" and that have adequate economic resources to function independently remain the key problems, he added.

Nushravan Mahrammli, chairman of the National TV and Radio Council, insisted during an October 22 news conference that "some positive changes have taken place." The council has suggested using administrative sanctions against TV companies that "violate" national values, although Mahrammli conceded that "the definition of national cultural values remains disputable and unclear."

Mammedli, the media expert, worries that if the TV and Radio Council introduces new sanctions, it will "throw Azerbaijan back to Soviet times."

Meanwhile, Council Chairman Mahrammli urged patience. "The process is ongoing. We are waiting for more results," he said.