Ali Gasanov says Azeri media has leading positions in the world

Azerbaijani presidential administration official Ali Gasanov, speaking at an event dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the little known Azeri newspaper "Rabita Dunyasi" (The world on communications), said our media has leading positions in terms of being objective and operative in the world.  

Blaming CNN and BBC in serving only the purpose of spreading the opinions of the Western countries to the rest of the world, Gasanov said Azerbaijan has full internet freedom and pluralism, and the country's media is prospering.

If anything, this should be happy news for anyone who cares about Azeri media. But as any skeptic I can't accept just any word as the truth, specially from the mouths that fed us the "we are the first in the region and in the world" fairy tale for years now. 

Gasanov never mentioned the source of the happy news, was there a world-wide or at-least a region-wide research that gave him the idea? Or was it a dream after smoking the same pot that his boss smoked a few days ago?

But let's assume the statement is absolutely serious. First let's talk about media being able to spread the news fast. No point here to argue with Mr. Gasanov. Journalists report news through phones, laptops and all kinds of other technology devices straight from the conferences and events to their offices. A minute ago Foreign Minister said something, and now you can see it online in Azeri, Russian and English. The news are rarely verified though and all we get is the "he said-she said" journalism (but on the second thought, at least it is not the old "I say journalism"). Another problem is - lots of journalists work in Baku and a lot less in the region. So news from the regions don't get to the readers that fast.

As for objectiveness. If you go through a bunch of online web-sites, you'll see lots of cheap jokes and "analysis" that clearly say "Armenians are stupid, Armenians are cruel, we are so much better, yay!" Now, if we are trying to solve a two-decades-long conflict with our neighbors (are we?) then maybe calling the opposite side names isn't exactly the right tactic. But, hey, we have the most objective media in the world, don't teach us what to do! We aren't spreading hatred by starting the day with "fight is the word written on our foreheads", we are just saying the truth. And the conflict, oh, the conflict, well, Gasanov's boss will solve it at some point, won't he?

Objective Azeri media didn't mind broadcasting oppositional journalist's sex video secretly recorded by intelligence services during prime-time. Nor did they mind making nasty comments about another oppositional journalist in 2008 calling him gay (first, he wasn't gay, second, even if so, who said it is your problem what is going on in his bedroom). This list could be continued for much longer, but you get the point already.

Mr. Gasanov claims Azeri internet is free and nobody gets punished for what he said in a blog or elsewhere online. Just recently though blogger and youth activist Zaur Gurbanly was arrested for posting online a photo on a textbook with president's daughter's poem. Another comment from Gasanov - Azeri media is prospering as never before. And this said when leading opposition newspaper Azadliq has no money to publish and is pressured by the government on all sides. Fun times...