The election campaign in Azerbaijan is at a low level

The degree of pluralism in the media in Azerbaijan did not provide the  atmosphere necessary for a free, fair and democratic presidential election, according to the  results of monitoring carried out in August –September by the  Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety ( IRFS )  on eight  channels, including three state - AZTV, ITV, Nakhchivan TV,   five private - ANS, Space, Lider, Khazar , ATV,  two radio stations - public and public Radio 4 website - apa.az, trend.az, day.az, musavat.com,  and  four  newspapers - "Zerkalo", "Bizim Yol", "Azerbaijan", and "Khalq."

The results of the study were presented on October 8 at the round table in the office of the  IRFS.    The monitoring of television programs was conducted  in prime time from 18:00 to 24:00, said  the Director of IRFS Emin Huseynov.

All TV channels  broadcasted only the  activity of the  current President Ilham Aliyev, and people could not see other  candidates, with the exception of free air time on ITV. Thus, AZTV spent  38.2 % of the time to positive or neutral coverage of the  activity of the  President, Ilham Aliyev. In addition, there were programs on the activities of the late Heydar Aliyev,  the programs on  Ilham Aliyev’s  wife, Mehriban Aliyeva, and his daughter Leyla Aliyeva , as Vice -President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

Special programs were devoted  to events with the participation of Ilham Aliyev. In fact, Ilham Aliyev  was always on TV. The activity of the candidate of the opposition National Council Jamil Hasanli was covered  negatively. 

However, the black PR against Hasanli presented in the air of private channels. Most distinguished became  Khazar TV , which devoted 6,6%   of negative coverage  on Jamil Hasanli and other politicians of NCDF, and Lider and Space  TV channels spent 3.5% , and  ATV - 2.3% of programs against them. 

The relative balance was on the ANS, but along with neutral coverage of the activity of Hasanli, more air time was devoted to  the President Ilham Aliyev.

The situation was observed on the radio broadcast.

Over the entire three-week election campaign the other candidates for the presidency had the opportunity to speak  nine times  six minutes  each on ITV in the free air time. At the same time, most of the time was used against the candidate of the NCDF, Jamil Hasanli.

ITV refused to provide Hasanli  free air time. All other TV stations refused to raise campaign materials for a fee.

Due to insufficient coverage of the presidential candidates on TV, the records of debates were placed  on social networks, where the general view of nine debates amounted to one million people. On the Internet sites also dominated the information about Ilham Aliyev.

The activity of Jamil Hasanli was covered only negatively, or neutrally.

The  same trend that exists on TV,   existed on state-owned newspapers "Khalq" and "Azerbaijan" .

Only the newspapers "Bizim Yol" and "Zerkalo", as well as the site musavat.com, ensured political pluralism, but musavat.com publicized more activities of opposition candidates.

The project was implemented with the support of the OSCE  Baku Office.—06С—