Media registry or who can be considered a journalist?

Baku/28.09.22/Turan: On September 26, President Ilham Aliyev approved the Rules for the registration of media. According to the Decree, the Media Development Agency, together with the State Service for Special Communications and Information Security, must take the necessary measures to ensure the security of the Media Register. 

According to the new rules, the journalistic activities of people without higher education may be limited. It is planned to include persons with work experience of at least 3 years into the register. In addition, it is important that media workers be permanent residents of the country.

How will the media registry affect the activities of journalists?

Media expert, lawyer Alesker Mammadli talks about this in the “Difficult Question” program.

The  media register provides for five  points: registration of audiovisual media, news agencies, online media, print media, and journalists, Mammadli said.

"The Audiovisual Council (established on February 8, 2022 on the basis of the former National Council for Television and Radio – Ed.) will be engaged in the registration of audiovisual media. The Media Development Agency's register will include media entities of 4 categories - news agencies, online media, print media and journalists will be included in the Media Agency's Register," Mammadli said.

One of the important points is that online media were not registered before - there was no question of registering online media in Azerbaijan, he said.

“Registration was required only for print media. In order to establish them, a legal or natural person wishing to establish a printed publication should officially apply to the relevant executive authority seven days  in advance. Now this rule has been extended to online media entities,” the lawyer noted, adding that online media will be entered in the register only if they meet the criteria necessary for media entities.

“To be  included in the Register,  journalists need to be registered with the Tax Service as an individual entrepreneur; have higher education; not have a criminal record for committing serious or especially serious crimes, as well as crimes against public morality; have an employment contract with the media;  not work with media that is not included in the Registry; have a journalistic experience of less than three years; not violating journalistic ethics, etc.,” Mammadli explained.

In his opinion, these are quite strict requirements and no doubt they will greatly complicate the life of journalists.--0--