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Baku hosts seminar â€œMedia ethics in electoral processâ€

18 September 2013 09:06 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Rashad Suleymanov – APA. A seminar entitled “Media ethics in electoral process” is being held in Baku today, APA reports.

Addressing the event, Angela Nicoara, Country Director at IREX, spoke about the projects implemented by his organization for the development of Azerbaijan’s journalism.

Nicoara said that WiFi network has been set up in eight universities with the support of IREX. 12 journalists have started to give lessons at Azerbaijani universities.

US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Richard Morningstar said that the U.S. has always supported the freedom of media: “We have repeatedly announced that the U.S. supports the freedom of media in Azerbaijan. Press gives us eyes and ears to see the problem. The freedom of media is particularly important during the election period. The full freedom of media means responsible media.”

Chairman of Azerbaijan Press Council Aflatun Amashov said that there is freedom of speech and media in the country. Every citizen can express their thoughts through media. The draft law “On Defamation” has already been developed by the Press Council with the support of OSCE Baku Office.

“I am sure that Azerbaijan will have law “On defamation” by the end of the year. Problems in the media are related with the economic situation. This paves the way for professionalism of journalists and other issues."

Amashov said that mass media in Azerbaijan has little advertising market. Issues on placing commercials and advertisements in media and others have been raised before relevant bodies.

Chairman of the Press Council said that Azerbaijani journalists have perfect rules of professional conduct. Speaking about the media's participation in the electoral process, Amashov said that this process is being regulated through relevant procedures. He added that election monitoring group under the Council will tighten their activity on the election day: “We have appealed to the editorial offices to include their representatives in the monitoring group. A hot line of the Press Council will operate on the election day. We are also concerned about the use of smear campaign against some candidates. We will focus on this issue.”

The seminar is going on.