Analytics ... 2005 August 02 ( Thursday )

• PRESIDENT DOES NOT WANT OR CANNOT HARNESS BLACK DISORDER OF AIR

Rapprochement of parliamentary elections has caused growth of misinformation. The main locomotives of this process are TV companies. Just they, and first of all TV channel "LIDER" provoke press and society to the fight without rules. Scale of misinformation of auditorium on the part of TV and threats which it brings have become to make negative impact on the campaign on elections to the parliament and on stability on the country. TV channels are the main carriers of information - they cover 99% of the territory of the country, whereas there are only 6 newspapers per capital in the country a year, and 1 opposition newspaper. It means that TV and radio companies fully control information field and have all capacities for manipulation of public consciousness.

Monitoring of coverage of mass media in the context of parliamentary elections carried out by Nacaf Nacafov Fund in May-June shows that manipulation has grown considerably:

In May radio stations (ANS CM, LIDER, 106 FM and BURC FM) spread more negative programs about the authorities than about the opposition. At the same time, much positive was said about the authorities too. There were more programs about Yeni Azerbaijan party (YAP) and the organizations close to it.

However by June radio stations have cardinally changed the principle of coverage of election blocs. The number of positive information about YAP has increased, and of negative information has lowered by two times and more. The flow of neutral information has increased by five times.

The number of TV programs on AzTV1, ANS, ATV, SPACE and LIDER about YAP and organizations close to it is by two times more than the programs on "Azadlig" bloc. Evidently, repeated mentioning of organization promotes her positioning. It must be noted that in May there more positive information about YAP and organizations close to it almost by 25 times, than about her main opponent in the person of "Azadlig" and by two times less negative information. Concerning YeS and other organizations, the information about them was of neutral character.

In June the number of negative information about opposition on TV channels increased almost by three times, and propaganda of YAP and organization close to it has increased by two times. Concerning neutral information about YAP and organizations close to it, just like in May, its number increased the number of information about "Azadlig" by more tan times, creating necessary barrage for positioning. In June its ratio has increased sharply mainly in favor of YAP by two more times.

Regional TV channels Alternativ TV (Ganja), "Lenkaran TV", MTV(Mingechavir), "Simurqm TV"(Tovuz), DTV(Sumgayit), Khayal TV (Guba) ? and "Aygun" TV(Zagatala) also covered elections blocs ( but in the volume similar to the republican TV channels). But they also carried out the policy similar to the policy of republican TV companies.

We would like to draw your attention to the programs of AzTV1. Being a state TV channel, just like the other official mass media it has been actively involved into the process of defamation of opposition and positioning of the party of authorities. In May this TV channel spread only negative information about "Azadlig" bloc.

In June the TV channel changed a little its tactics. Probably AzTV1 considers the most effective way of fight against opposition to behave as if does not exist at all. Thus, only 125 seconds were given to "Azadlig" over the whole month of pre-election campaign.

The analysis carried out by the Fund demonstrates brutal violation of basic principles of journalism. Justifications that the state cannot influence the activity of TV are not acceptable. The activity of TV channels is regulated by the law "On television and radio broadcasting". According to point 32 .0.2.1 of the Article 32 of this law social-political programs of all TV channels and radio stations must be impartial, unprejudiced, weighty and true;

- point 32.0.4 reads about inadmissibility of one-sided treatment of facts and events while coverage;

- point 32.0.3 reads about inadmissibility of insulting of honor and dignity of people, blackmailing of their business reputation, about the necessity to respect the rights and freedom given by Constitution;

- according to point 40.2.4 of the Article 40 all sources of information must respect private life, business reputation, honor and dignity of citizens;

- point 40.2.5 reads about the necessity of following of professional ethics;

- and at last, in accordance with the point 40.2.9, to provide impartiality.

Consequently, in accordance with the law TG channels should not propagandize intolerance to dissidence, must give equal time on air to all political forces, and not insult citizens.

It must be noted that AzTV1, just like official newspapers of Azerbaijan, being a state means of communication are involved into the process of fight against opposition. Lack of pluralism in pro-governmental mass media and TV channels, defamation of opposition is ordinary practice. It is not coincidence that the OSCE"s representative for the press issues Miklosh Harashti during his visit in Baku on July 22 spoke about the necessity of privatization of official mass media, and in particular AzTV1. Who will stop this PR disorder? Who carries responsibility for disorder on air?

The president of the country has never condemned at least by world of mouth the heads of TV channels and official mass media for jaundice and partiality. On the eve of elections the president of the country must operatively interfere and bring order in this sphere. Unfortunately, it does happen. On the contrary, on July 21 during the ceremony on 130th anniversary of the Azerbaijani press held in "Gulistan" palace in response to critical remark of the president of Judicial firm "Visa" Aslan Ismailov on the activity of LIDER TV channel the president of the country Ilham Aliyev stated that the state could not interfere the activity of independent TV channels. However it is not so. The state can and must interfere because it issues licenses for the activity of TV channels. Only the state has full right to give permission for the activity of TV channels and control them. Firstly, the license for the radio frequency issues the commission for radio frequency which is jokingly called "commission of generals" which unites the heads of force and other departments. Secondly, licenses for television and radio broadcasting issues the National Board for Television of Radio (NBTR). The Board has been created in accordance with the instruction of the president and is valid on the basis of Regulations confirmed by the head of the state. President also should appoint all 9 members of NBTR forwarded by the parliament.

In accordance with the Regulations "On National Board for Television and Radio", this organ is to provide state policy in the sphere of radio and television, and regulation of the activity in this sphere, to provide independence of television and radio broadcasting, protect public interests, control observance of legislation and in the sphere of television and radio broadcasting, to issue licenses for broadcasting, and to control effective use of channels (frequency) of broadcasting, demonstration of programs able to abuse physical, intellectual and moral development of children and teenagers, inadmissibility of propagandize of terror, violence, cruelty, national, race and religious intolerance, correspondence of advertisement to the rules "On television and radio broadcasting". So, there is organ which can punish and even withdraw licenses from the TV channel which do not keep with the law.