National press: Significant milestone in society's development

By Ayya Lmahamad

The national press, which contributed to the development of Azerbaijani society, has played an important role in educating and shaping national thought throughout history. 

The media has become as necessary as food and clothing and it continues to play a significant role in strengthening society. 

The purpose of the media is to give information about current news, new affairs, gossips, fashion and the latest gadgets in the marketplace of the people. It is possible to say that the media is in charge of information, education, entertainment, advertising and the correlation of parts of society.

The abolishment of censorship in August 1998 in Azerbaijan marked the beginning of a new stage in the development of the national press.

Stages of press development

The Azerbaijani media and press went through several stages of development - the press published under the Tsar Russian rule (1832-1917), the press during the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic (1918-1920), the press during the Soviet Union (1920-1991), the emigration press, and the press since independence to the present day.

The first-ever published media in the Azerbaijani language dates back to 1875 when Akinchi (Ploughman) newspaper was first published by Hasan bay Zardabi. The newspaper fought against injustice and ignorance and covered a wide range of scientific, educational and cultural topics. However, Zardabi had to face many challenges during that period, as the Tsar's censorship prohibited touching upon political issues in the newspaper.

The second stage of the national press development coincided with the period of Azerbaijan’s Democratic Republic, during which the government adopted rules about the modernization of the press and printed media in general. With the new rule adopted on October 10, 1919, the establishment of the press and other similar foundations, as well as the publishing and the sale of press materials became free. In addition, under the decree dated November 9, 1918, the government control over the mass media was abolished.

When Iskra newspaper was published in December 1900, a new type of press was established in Azerbaijan. It was the first newspaper created to spread Bolshevik ideas in Azerbaijan.

With Azerbaijan’s independence, a new period of national press development started in the country.

Press Council, Media Development Agency

In March 2003, during the first conference of Azerbaijani journalists, in which 180 media organizations were present, the Press Council of Azerbaijan was established.

The Council's aims include conducting public control so as to ensure that journalists act in line with the requirements of relevant pieces of legislation and professional principles, improving government-media and public-media relations, and contributing to the freedom of speech.

In January 2021, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on the establishment of the Media Development Agency on the basis of the Presidential Media Development State Support Fund.

Under the decree, the Agency is the legal successor of the Fund, whose rights and obligations, as well as the property, are transferred to the Agency.

After the start of the Agency's activities, in accordance with a presidential decree, the development of a new draft law "On the media" began.

Recent law "On the Media"

In Azerbaijan, the media bill was adopted 20 years ago. Certain changes were made, but some points remained open. 

In December 2021, the Azerbaijani parliament adopted a new law “On the media”. It determines the general rules of the organization of media activities, the legal and economic bases of these activities, as well as the receipt, preparation, transmission, production and dissemination of mass information. The document consists of nine chapters and 78 clauses.

The new bill is expected to play an important role in eliminating a number of shortcomings that exist today in the media sphere and to pave the way for the creation of a regulatory framework that meets the latest global standards.

It provides for all the details, from raising the level of professionalism of journalists to solving their social problems. This creates the necessary legal framework for better protection of information security in Azerbaijan.