Substitution in AzTV will make Germany happy - new Azeri joke

Of the eight heads of state departments dismissed by President I. Aliyev (seven state organizations are closed for inefficiency), the former Chairman of the Azerbaijan Joint Broadcasting Company Arif Alyshanov was the most discussed about. Naturally, despite the whole nation ignores this channel, preferring satellite and cable channels, the AzTV programs cause irritation of the viewers.

Immediately after the news about the dismissal of Alyshanov, social networks filled with cheerful jokes, the most common is the phrase that now Germany can breathe easy as the head of AzTV, who "was destroying" it, will not be able to finish his job. ("It"s a shame. The man wasn"t given a chance to destroy completely Merkel"s Germany. And he was so close to that ...", - journalist Kavkaz Omarov).

Arif Alyshanov, who is an accountant by education, since May 17, 2001, served as deputy chairman of the Azerbaijan State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company; on March 28, 2005, by presidential decree, he was appointed deputy chairman, and Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting. During the years of his rule, AzTV firmly established its reputation as a propagandist of the highest executive power. In the television studio of this channel, only the praises of the president"s activity could be heard; and anyone who at least did not support the country's leadership could not appear on AzTV. An alternative view on AzTV is in principle impossible, and not only in TV and radio broadcasting, but also in corporate discussions.

A. Alyshanov did not meet with subordinates, did not receive them, and did not listen to disgruntled employees. It was almost impossible to obtain his reception. He rigidly suppressed any opinion that does not coincide with his, and not only among subordinates. The only thing that the expert community remembered in the work of Alyshanov was the trial he had brought up over TV journalism specialist, Professor Gulu Maharramli. In February 2016, Maharramli criticized AzTV in an interview given on the 60th anniversary of Azerbaijani television, and in the same year Alyshanov appealed to the court. He demanded 100,000 manat compensation from the professor for reputational damage. On February 13, 2017, the Yasamal District Court discontinued the proceedings, refusing to file a lawsuit against Maharramli.

Rovshan Rafiqoglu (Mamedov), a presenter of political program on AzTV, has been appointed acting chairman of the company. He is remembered by the style of behavior on television - he praises any government policy and imposes the official position of the guests of the program, actively articulating his hands preventing a different opinion and looking at the viewer from under his brow.

The style of broadcasting behavior of R. Rafiqoglu is highly appreciated by his colleagues who spoke on social networks with congratulations on his high appointment. "I consider Rovshan Rafioglu a valuable TV presenter. I watched his programs several times, I really like his speech, logic, ethereal culture. I wish you success," said TV presenter Ilhamia Rza.

R. Mammadov was born in 1979, he graduated from the faculty of journalism of the Baku State University. He began his journalistic career in 2000, presented sports programs on Lider TV, known for the most reactionary political content. He wrote a book about the theory of television journalism "Leader Journalist". In 2009, he became the head of the Sports Department. Then he worked in TV channels ANS and Idman Azerbaijan. In 2014, he began to present social and political programs "Günün nəbzi" and "Həftə" on AzTV. He worked as a teacher at the Baku Slavic University.

The replacement of Alyshanov with Rafioglu does not mean improving AzTV activities, the appearance on this channel of objective information about political, economic events inside the country and in the world. The only observer independent from the authorities, civilian activist Avaz Hasanov shared the idea that a change of leadership for AzTV means the expected replacement on other TV channels in order to improve the television space and freeing it from existing negatives.

Other participants in the public debate are interested in the possibility of investigating the corrupt embezzlement of Alyshanov. Gulu Maharramli said that Alyshanov had to be fired 12 years ago, and such a man was not supposed to head a TV channel known for its traditions. He considers the it is necessary to discuss the harm done by the former chairman: the low professional level of AzTV, the dismissal of qualified personnel, the unclear fate of 50-55 million manats annually allocated by the state.

Media rights expert Rashid Hajili does not consider the dismissal of some republican leaders as an indicator of reform. "Reforms are the election of an independent parliament, the appointment of a dynamic government accountable to parliament, the release of television and the press from the chains, so that they daily monitor the activities of the government, submit cases of corruption and inaction of officials to public discussion. Journalists would expose corrupt courts, and the law enforcement system would stop persecuting citizens for political convictions, the police would not engage in illegal political activities ...".

The dismissal of Alyshanov and the appointment of Rafihoglu cannot improve AzTV, because of the restrictions on the freedom of speech and the rights of the press in Azerbaijan condemned by international institutions. There is no competition among television channels, the sources of their financing are opaque, for any opinion different from the authorities they can be closed, as happened with the AzTV television company in July 2016. The acting chairman of the company was a clear executor of the will of Alyshanov; he was not noticed in reformist strivings for AzTV. With the appointment of Rafioglu, it is possible that AzTV will stop "destroying Germany by switching to exposing France," the Azeris joke, recalling the frequent protest demonstration by French rally makers in Rafiqoglu broadcasts. This may be the only "improvement" in the oldest Azerbaijani TV channel.