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Azerbaijan Press Council addresses EBU and media organizations of Eurovision 2012 participating countries - PHOTO

Azerbaijan Press Council addresses EBU and media organizations of Eurovision 2012 participating countries - <font color=red>PHOTO</font>

12 April 2012 12:29 (UTC +04:00)

Chairman of the Press Council Aflatun Amashov said that several foreign media ignored the positive works carried out in Azerbaijan and tried to exaggerate small negative cases in the country. He expressed concern that such writings have a campaign character.

Editor-in-chief of the newspaper Azerbaijan Bakhtiyar Sadigov called on those media organizations not to politicize the song contest and to protect the journalist neutrality.

Amashov read the text of statement addressed to EBU and media organizations of the Eurovision 2012 participating countries concerning the negative reporting by some world media organizations about the Eurovsion-2012 preparations in Azerbaijan. The statement is about the development of Azerbaijani mass media after the countryâ€™s gaining the independence. It was noted that the Press Council, mass mediaâ€™s first self-administrative organization in post soviet area, was established in Azerbaijan, the Fund for Support to Mass Media was formed, important work was done toward the formation of legislative basis for freedom of media and expression, the mass media legislation was formed in accordance with the European standards. The statement also underlined the problems of Azerbaijani media, including financial dependence, fragility of advertising market, the problems of professionalism and etc.

The statement says that some organizations try to politicize the cultural event, Eurovision Song Contest, for their own purposes: â€œThis is disrespect to millions of Europeans. We support objective information about Azerbaijanâ€™s realities to the world community. We would like the international media to cover the measures taken for formation of democratic media in Azerbaijan and to take it into consideration that 20% of Azerbaijani lands were occupied and the rights of more than 1 mln refugees and IDPs were violatedâ€.

Authors of the statement said that some media organizationsâ€™ campaign against Azerbaijan doesnâ€™t correspond to the principles of media professionalism and unfortunately those media organizations published one-sided and malicious articles. Azerbaijani journalists invite their colleagues to visit Azerbaijan on the eve and during the Eurovision contest. â€œWe consider that seeing Azerbaijan and its realities will widen your awareness and change your wrong ideas. We believe that you will hear the voice of Azerbaijani journalists and protect your objectiveness and neutrality in approaching the processes and events. We believe that you will appreciate the best opportunity to see and feel real things about our country and will join us during this great music festivity in Baku in Mayâ€.

Amashov said that the statement would be sent to the European Broadcasting Union and media organizations of participating countries.

Then heads of several media organizations addressed the event. Director General of APA Group Vusala Mahirgizi said everyone knows that this statement will not change the position of those media organizations, which campaign against Azerbaijan on the eve of Eurovision. â€œWe also know it. Those articles are written not because of deficiency of information, but for serving concrete interests. Therefore this statement will not end those writings nor make them objective. We also understand it. The main subject-matter of our statement is to show to our colleagues that we understand what happens. They should know that it is not ethical to serve concrete interests and then to give lessons of media professionalism to others and we understand that those writings are the part of pressure campaign against Azerbaijanâ€.

Mahirgizi enumerated the facts of violation of freedom of media and human rights in other Eurovision host countries.

â€œWe also know and speak about the problems existing in Azerbaijani media. We noted that these problems must be solved phase-by-phase. But we also know that bringing the issue of freedom of media to agenda within the anti-Azerbaijan campaign is to take advantage of situation. It is not an interest of Azerbaijani media, but the interests of donor countriesâ€, said Mahirgizi.

Heads of the other media organizations also addressed the event and underlined the importance of joint struggle against preconceived writings.