Baku, Azerbaijan, April 25. President of the
Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree on the
celebration of the 150th anniversary of the national press,
Trend reports.
According to the document, the 150th anniversary of Azerbaijan’s
national press should be widely celebrated in the country.
The administration of the president of Azerbaijan, together with
the Media Development Agency of Azerbaijan and the Press Council of
Azerbaijan, must ensure the organization of anniversary events.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan should address issues
related to the financing of the anniversary events.
To note, in the second half of the 19th century, Azerbaijan,
which had become one of the world’s oil and industrial centers and
was experiencing an economic boom, underwent significant changes in
its socio-political and cultural life. The Enlightenment movement
began to spread, and the necessity of creating a national press
emerged. This is why, 150 years ago, on July 22, 1875, the
prominent intellectual, natural scientist, and educator-journalist
Hasanbay Zardabi published “Akinchi,” the first example of the
national press in Azerbaijan, marking an important event in the
country’s history. The newspaper, which lasted only two years,
became a voice for enlightenment ideas, published sharp articles
against ignorance and superstition, and significantly contributed
to the development of national self-awareness, public, political,
and literary thought, as well as the formation of a progressive
generation of journalists.
After “Akinchi,” numerous publications that followed its
traditions united the patriotic intellectuals and reformists of the
time around a common cause, playing an essential role as leading
tools in the national awakening process and in achieving national
goals.
At the end of the last century, reforms implemented under the
leadership of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, who returned to
power due to the people’s demand, created a reliable foundation for
the establishment of freedom of speech and information, pluralism
of ideas, and other democratic values in the country. Heydar Aliyev
considered the development of the media one of the priorities and
adopted consistent decisions regarding the formation of a
legislative framework to regulate its activities, removal of
artificial barriers hindering its development, and strengthening of
its material-technical base, thus laying the foundation for
progressive traditions in state-media relations.
As a result of the resolute and consistent implementation of the
independent political course, the dynamic development of Azerbaijan
was ensured, and the strategic tasks ahead were successfully
achieved. Azerbaijan won a glorious victory in the Second Karabakh
War and, with a unique anti-terrorist operation, wrote a new
chapter in military history, restoring its territorial integrity
and sovereignty. During the war, Azerbaijani media exemplified
patriotism and solidarity, made special efforts to disseminate the
truth to the international community, exposed false information
from the enemy and its supporters, and created a rich chronicle of
the heroism of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, soldiers, and
officers.
The reforms that began immediately after Azerbaijan’s victory in
the Second Karabakh War, including the adoption of the “Media Law,”
aimed at adapting media activities to the challenges of the digital
era and improving the information environment in the country.
Measures such as tax exemptions, the removal of VAT for newspapers
and magazines, granting journalists the right to benefit from
preferential mortgage loans, and other steps have ensured the
sustainability of work aimed at strengthening the economic
independence of information resources and improving the social
protection of journalists.
Today, Azerbaijani media, as an active participant in the
process of Azerbaijan’s progress and modern state-building, has
expanded its international relations and influence in the global
information space, increasing its competitiveness. However, the
changing world order, the intensification of political processes,
and the establishment of new operational principles pose new tasks
for Azerbaijan’s media. The application of advanced technologies,
increased activity on social media platforms, digitalization,
artificial intelligence, enhanced media literacy, combating
disinformation and fake news, and active participation in effective
communication are key issues that will define the development
prospects of Azerbaijani media and its place in the global
information space in the coming period. At the same time, the
media, taking into account modern trends, must always uphold
Azerbaijan’s state interests and be more active in informing the
public about the positive changes occurring in the country and its
role and position in the modern system of international
relations.
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