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Azerbaijan National TV and Radio Broadcasting Council extends its authorities

03 April 2009 12:33 (UTC +04:00)

Chairman of the parliamentâ€™s standing commission for cultural affairs Nizami Jafarov informed about the draft law and said eight articles of the law were amended, APA reports. According to the amendments, relevant government organizations should be informed about the necessity of changes in founding and shareholding of private broadcasting company a month before. The changes can be made after the government organizationâ€™s opinion is publicized within two months and new documents are submitted to that organization within a month. If license rules and terms are violated, the relevant government organization will take administrative reproofing measures or go to law.
According to the amendments, foreign TV and radio stations are allowed to be on air in Azerbaijan via satellite in the case of events of public importance, elections and important sport competitions. If broadcasters violate license rules and terms, the license or broadcasting of any program can be banned for month by the court decision.
The broadcaster can be charged with the administrative legal decision if it faces at least with three sanctions a year.
The amendments ban to air advertising spots not more than 12 minutes per hour, saving the advertising spotâ€™s 20- percent share in 24-hour broadcasting.

Then members of the parliament expressed opinion about the proposed amendments.

MP Ganira Pashayeva said the amendments didnâ€™t create obstacles to the TV channels.

MP Siyavush Novruzov said there was low quality dubbing on the TV channels and offered to take measures. He said showing commercials for 12 minutes in an hour was much.

Protesting against the situation in the TV channels Sabir Rustamkhanli complained that there was no control over regional channels.
â€œAzerbaijani TV channels show meykhana. There is â€œdisease of SMSâ€ on channels,â€ he said.
Rustamkhanli protested against translation of Turkish series and criticized chairman of the National Television and Radio Council Nushiravan Maharramli. The parliamentarian also objected to the proposal to show commercials for 12 minutes in an hour.

MP Fattah Heydarov supported the proposed changes. Fattah Heydarov said Azerbaijani is the state language of Azerbaijan and therefore it should not be discussed in which language to broadcast programs.
â€œThe Azerbaijani language is our wealth,â€ he said.

Baba Tagiyev said TV channels should promote justice, intellectuality and added that sometimes TV channels broadcasted commercials contradicting national-moral values.

Speaker Ogtay Asadov also took a stance on the issue.
â€œBefore, it was honorable to be a TV presenter. No norm with regard to presenters is observed now. The National Television and Radio Council should pay attention to the observation of literary language norms,â€ he said.

Chairman of NTRC Nushiravan Maharramli said the proposed changes arose from necessity. He said the changes were technical. Taking a stance on the parliamentariansâ€™ critical remarks, NTRC chairman said some of them were unaware of the councilâ€™s authority.
â€œThe parliament determined the councilâ€™s authority. It seems that they do not understand what they write,â€ he said.

Ogtay Asadov objected to Maharramli.
â€œWe are speaking about presentersâ€™ ability of speaking. It seems that NTRC chairman needs speak normally,â€ he said.

Nushiravan Maharramli wanted to speak, but he was not given the floor.

The parliament passed the bill after discussions.