[HCDX] Some analytical news on Azerbaijan's decision to stop relaying foreign news
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[HCDX] Some analytical news on Azerbaijan's decision to stop relaying foreign news



http://news.trend.az/index.shtml?show=news&newsid=1385240&lang=en
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123067777878643861.html?mod=googlenew
s_wsj
http://uk.reuters.com/article/mediaNews/idUKLU31737120081230
http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-12-30-voa40.cfm

not used:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/12/31/europe/EU-EU-Azerbaijan.php



National Television and Radio Council of Azerbaijan not prolong licenses for 
foreign radio stations

30.12.08 15:14 National Television and Radio Council of Azerbaijan not 
prolong licenses for foreign radio stations

Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 30 /corr. Trend News A.Huseynbala / National 
Television and Radio Council of Azerbaijan did not consider it necessary to 
prolong the period of licenses for the broadcasting of foreign radio stations 
at the national frequencies in the territory of Azerbaijan. The decision on it 
was made on Dec. 30 at the session of the Council, Nushirevan Mahrramli, 
chairman of the Council, said to press conference on Dec. 30.

In early November, Maharramli announced that the broadcast of foreign 
radio stations in Azerbaijan including US Voice of America, Radio Liberty 
and BBC will be suspended by the end of 2008. ?In the end of this year, all 
foreign radio stations will be deprived of the frequencies where they 
broadcast,? Mahrramli said earlier. 

He said that the foreign radio stations may be broadcasted via satellite, 
Internet and cable network or on tha basis of inter-state agreement. 

The initiative of the National Television and Radio Council of Azerbaijan to 
cease broadcasting of the foreign radio stations in Azerbaijan is fully legal, 
Ali Hasanov, head of public-political department of the Presidential 
Administration of Azerbaijan, said earlier.

The US Department of State, OSCE, the Council of Europe and other 
international organizations have expressed their concern over suspension of 
broadcast of foreign radio stations in Azerbaijan.

Maharramli said that the broadcasting of these radio stations in the territory 
of Azerbaijan will be ceased starting from Jan. 1, 2009.



UPDATE 1-Azerbaijan curbs foreign radio broadcasts
Tue Dec 30, 2008 7:26pm GMT

(Updates with U.S. State Department, OSCE)

By Lada Yevgrashina

BAKU, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Azerbaijan said on Tuesday foreign radio stations 
would no longer be allowed to broadcast on local frequencies, drawing 
criticism from the United States and Europe over media freedom in the oil-
producing state.

Azerbaijan's National Television and Radio Council said the ruling would 
enter into force on Jan. 1, 2009, terminating licences for the BBC, Voice of 
America, Radio Free Europe and Russian Evropa Plus.

The administration of President Ilham Aliyev is widely accused of stifling 
democracy and media freedom while presiding over an oil-fuelled economic 
boom in the former Soviet republic.

The National Television and Radio Council said broadcasting licences for 
foreign radio stations would not be extended beyond 2008, but the stations 
were free to broadcast via satellite, Internet or cable.

"We are not closing down foreign radio stations but we want their activities to 
be regulated according to international practice," Ali Hasanov, head of the 
political department of presidential administration, told reporters.

The U.S. State Department said: "This decision, if carried out, will represent 
a serious setback to freedom of speech, and retard democratic reform in 
Azerbaijan."

OSCE Freedom of Media representative Miklos Haraszti said: "Closing down 
FM news radio broadcasts that were among the few remaining sources of 
varied, public-service quality information is a serious step backwards for an 
OSCE democracy."

He said the alternative broadcast means suggested by the authorities were 
unacceptable and unrealistic.

The media ruling comes as authorities seek to prolong Aliyev's hold on 
power beyond 2013. Parliament last week backed an initiative by the ruling 
Yeni Azerbaijan (New Azerbaijan) party to hold a referendum on March 18 
on whether to scrap the two-term presidential limit.

Aliyev won a second five-year term in October in a landslide election faulted 
by European monitors as less than democratic.

The country has been dominated by the Aliyev family for more than three 
decades, first under former Communist boss Heydar Aliyev and since 2003 
by his son Ilham.

The opposition accuses the West of toning down its criticism of Aliyev's 
record on democracy for fear of losing influence over the country's oil 
reserves in the Caspian Sea. (Additional reporting by Afet Mehtiyeva and 
Matt Robinson in Tbilisi; Writing by Matt Robinson; Editing by Alison 
Williams) 


-----------
US Regrets Azerbaijan Plan to Ban Foreign Radio Stations
By VOA News
30 December 2008
	

Azerbaijan
The United States has expressed deep regret at Azerbaijan's decision to 
ban international radio stations from broadcasting on local stations 
beginning New Year's Day.

Azerbaijani officials say the ban will apply to the Voice of America, Radio 
Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the British Broadcasting Corporation, and 
Russia's Europa Plus.

A State Department spokesman said Tuesday that the media groups play a 
crucial role in supporting democratic debate in Azerbaijan.  He said the ban 
will be a serious setback to freedom of speech.

The Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees VOA and RFE/RL, 
said it deplores Azerbaijan's decision, adding that the real losers in this 
situation are the Azerbaijani people.

Azerbaijan says the move brings the radio stations in line with a long-
standing law barring them from presenting foreign broadcasts.

But it says VOA and the other broadcasters still will be available on the 
Internet, by satellite, and by short-wave radio.

Azeri President Ilham Aliyev  14 Nov 2008
Azeri President Ilham Aliyev  14 Nov 2008
RFE/RL says the ban means it will lose 90 percent of its Azerbaijani 
audience.  It promised to find other ways to bring uncensored news to the 
country.

International rights groups accuse Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's 
government of suppressing media freedoms while presiding over an oil-
fueled economic boom.  

Last week, Azerbaijan's parliament approved a ruling party proposal to stage 
a referendum next year on scrapping presidential term limits.
----------

WASHINGTON -- The United States criticized Azerbaijan's decision 
Tuesday to ban international radio broadcasts into the country.

The ban, set to begin Jan. 1, effects broadcasters including Radio Free 
Europe/Radio Liberty, Voice of America and BBC.

"These media organizations play a crucial role in supporting democratic 
debate and the free exchange of ideas and information," said State 
Department spokesman Gordon Duguid. "This decision, if carried out, will 
represent a serious setback to freedom of speech, and retard democratic 
reform in Azerbaijan."

RFE/RL, which currently broadcasts an Azeri-language service, Radio 
Azadliq, said that the international broadcasts are Azerbaijan's primary 
source of information outside its government.

"We are known there as a source of independent, credible, accurate news 
and information," RFE/RL President Jeffrey Gedmin said in a statement on 
the organization's Web site.

"This decision to knock us off the air and, by the way, others -- the Voice of 
America, the BBC -- is going to rob the people in this country of important 
information that they need to react and act on as they're leading their lives 
and trying to grow and build civil society."

The ban follows a vote by Azerbaijan's parliament last week to schedule a 
nationwide referendum on scrapping presidential term limits. Critics of 
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev say the referendum is a blow to the oil-
rich Caspian nation's democracy.
National Television and Radio Council of Azerbaijan not prolong licenses for 
foreign radio stations
30.12.08 15:14 National Television and Radio Council of Azerbaijan not 
prolong licenses for foreign radio stations

Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 30 /corr. Trend News A.Huseynbala / National 
Television and Radio Council of Azerbaijan did not consider it necessary to 
prolong the period of licenses for the broadcasting of foreign radio stations 
at the national frequencies in the territory of Azerbaijan. The decision on it 
was made on Dec. 30 at the session of the Council, Nushirevan Mahrramli, 
chairman of the Council, said to press conference on Dec. 30.

In early November, Maharramli announced that the broadcast of foreign 
radio stations in Azerbaijan including US Voice of America, Radio Liberty 
and BBC will be suspended by the end of 2008. ?In the end of this year, all 
foreign radio stations will be deprived of the frequencies where they 
broadcast,? Mahrramli said earlier. 

He said that the foreign radio stations may be broadcasted via satellite, 
Internet and cable network or on tha basis of inter-state agreement. 

The initiative of the National Television and Radio Council of Azerbaijan to 
cease broadcasting of the foreign radio stations in Azerbaijan is fully legal, 
Ali Hasanov, head of public-political department of the Presidential 
Administration of Azerbaijan, said earlier.

The US Department of State, OSCE, the Council of Europe and other 
international organizations have expressed their concern over suspension of 
broadcast of foreign radio stations in Azerbaijan.

Maharramli said that the broadcasting of these radio stations in the territory 
of Azerbaijan will be ceased starting from Jan. 1, 2009.

------------

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