Zerkalo daily newspaper becomes weekly

The leading daily Russian-speaking newspaper of Azerbaijan, which is the Zerkalo, is changing the format from daily to weekly. This was announced on the eve by the editor Elchin Shikhli in his appeal to readers.

"I have been going to this decision long enough compelling circumstances and prodded harsh, but, unfortunately, not always fair reality. The last straw that broke, became outrageous arrest of Rauf Mirkadirov," writes the editor.

At the same time, he notes a number of other factors that led to such a decision.

 It so happened that the newspaper in its classical sense as media began to give way in expediting the electronic media. Priori it could not compete with this - no radio, no TV, let alone the Internet. But the newspaper has not stood still in its development - it has transformed, it gradually turned into a field for serious analysts, investigative journalism and, of course, good solid journalism.

 Yes, this area was not liberal and democratic to the extent to allow the publication of the "people's journalism." This area has become a place, where mostly tolerated Thought. But the Thought, and especially its media, has always been in trouble with those who are very little interested in truth about themselves.

I've always seen the newspaper business as a business. But this is specific business. There does not always work the principle of "buy-sell". This business has a soul. And the more, the more I understood it. Now the newspaper business is almost entirely supplanted. Its reason is simple and banal - in a situation where the political component dominates over the economical one, to do business, especially in this particular, the newspaper business, is not possible . At least, it seems not very promising, not only in economic terms but also professional.

Lately, I have made the newspaper not to sell it to others or to support my life. I'm doing it out of pride, and because I am a journalist. But journalism is killing me as well as prevents me from dying... " writes Shikhli .

Note that Elchin Shikhli heads the Union of Journalists of Azerbaijan and Zerkalo for 20 years is the leading Russian-speaking newspaper.

The main obstacle in the newspaper business today is a monopoly of the advertising market by the authorities, who "regulate" the question to whom and when to advertise. The more a newspaper reflects the opinion of the authorities, the more it gets publicity. The more independent is the publication, the less is the advertising, and therefore income.

With regard to income from sales of newspapers, the authorities here have come up with a lot of restrictions that do not allow papers to disseminate publications and if someone dares to sell the newspapers, then this "amateur action" is thwarted by the police.

Authorities want newspapers as addicts to be dependent on their handouts in the form of grants. If a publication is behaving "correctly," it receives a grant, and if not, then it does not receive anything. In the language of the government of Azerbaijan it is called taking care of the media and freedom of speech. – 02B-