On March 19, a seminar-conference dedicated to the roles and duties of mass media was conducted in Baku, during Presidential Elections of the Republic of Azerbaijan. 

The seminar-conference was organized jointly by the Administration of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Central Election Commission (CEC), the National Television and Radio Council and the Press Council.

Representatives of the above mentioned organizations, mass media leaders, journalists, active social network users, bloggers, representatives of international organizations attended in the event.

Having opened the seminar-conference, CEC chairman Mr. Mazahir Panahov said that the proper delivery of information on the election process to the public is a very important issue. In this case mass media has a great role. In Azerbaijan, mass media have accumulated enough experience on the election process and journalists have become professionals. Central Election Commission always focuses on working with the media.

The CEC chairman said that the voting in the presidential elections will be held in more than 5,600 polling stations. He noted that the number of voters included in the general voters’ list was more than 5 million 300 thousand. International observers have already been registered. Long-term observers of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights are among them. The short-term observers of the Institution will arrive in Azerbaijan a few days before the voting. At the same time, web cameras were installed in 1000 polling stations. Web cameras have a great importance in terms of providing transparent elections. It means that in any part of the world, it will be possible to monitor the electoral process in 20 percent of polling stations in Azerbaijan. We are convinced that this practice, as it was in the previous elections, will confirm itself at the highest level in Presidential Elections on April 11, 2018. All this is a manifestation of political liberty. In addition to the legislative framework, the political liberty is an important condition for a transparent election in any democratic country. The mass media of Azerbaijan coped with their obligations properly up to this time. I believe that during these elections, journalists will feel like representatives of an organization that serves their people. Mass media has a crucial role on achievements obtained in elections in Azerbaijan. 

Ali Hasanov, Assistant to the President for Social and Political Issues made a report at the seminar-conference and said that mass media plays a crucial role at all stages of the elections held in our country. Each election consists of three stages: the pre-election stage, the campaign period, and the start, conduct and announcement of the direct voting. For each period, the Election Code outlines the roles, duties and responsibilities of mass media. The requirements of the Election Code and its responsibilities will be highlighted at this seminar-conference.
 

Ali Hasanov noted that Azerbaijan society has important objects and subjects on elections. Firstly, these are candidates and their platforms. Each candidate should communicate their programs and goals, ideas and considerations to the public through mass media. Candidates will hold debates on television, meet voters in the regions, but only a group of people will gather in the venue and, in general, media will present the results of the meeting to the public. From this point of view, the role of mass media is equal to the role of candidates participating in presidential elections. Mass media should create equal conditions for all candidates. 

The assistant to the President noted that the Election Code provide for the media representatives’ responsibilities. The main task is to do this professionally in accordance with the requirements of the Code. Depending on how mass media representatives carry out this work, the elections will be shaped. Elections are an important public event, and mass media should be responsible in this regard. Mass media must be careful not to violate the provisions of the Election Code. Noncompliance of any requirement of the Code could undermine the overall picture of elections.

Ali Hasanov underlined that mass media should be attentive and accurate in determining the difference between the current activities of the President as the head of state and the campaign activity in the elections as a candidate. The assistant to the President added that equal conditions should be created for the candidates in the commercial issue. In this regard, the requirements of the Election Code should also be observed.

Nushiravan Maharramov, Chair of National TV and Radio Council stated that both state bodies and civil society shall undertake great responsibity to professionally hold Presidential elections which is important public and political event in Azerbaijan. In this regard, the media representatives are at the forefront. Mass media are responsible for the election process. The media play an important role in leading the society in the right direction. There are normal mechanisms for media activity in our country. Election legislation requires us to be responsible in our work. Mass media demonstrates high professionalism in every election. There are grounds for this. Television channels have gained enough experience in the coverage of the elections. The complaint wasn’t submitted to the National Television and Radio Council by any body or candidate.  

Nushiravan Maharramov noted that the issue that we are most interested in is now the harmonization of all television and radio channels with election legislation. All radio and television are ready for paid campaigns. Balance between election campaign and advertising activity should be expected. Advertising of goods and services on television is much more expensive than the time allocated for candidates in Azerbaijan. For this reason, television channels are sometimes not interested in the allocation of paid airtime for candidates. Payments for television and radio channels for candidates on paid airtime should be considered as normal.

Aflatun Amashov, Chair of the Press Council, deputy of Milli Majlis spoke about the election activities. He said that Press Council monitors 7 television channels, 15 newspapers, 10 news agencies and news portals. The monitoring basing on the principles and rules determined by international organizations will define how professionally the materials on candidates have been prepared. In this case, the difference between the author's comment and the fact will also be taken into consideration. On the voting day, the Press Council phones will function as a "hot line". Members of Administrative Board of the Press Council will also be in the capital and in the regions as observers, and the conditions created for journalists to cover the election process will be considered. Whenever any issue arises, the Central Election Commission will be contacted. We are convinced that media representatives will be objective, accurate and impartial to the presidential elections on April 11 as in the previous elections.

Later, Natig Mammadov, the Deputy Chairman of the Central Election Commission made a report on the issue "The free movement and equality of the campaign subjects at the pre-election campaign stage in the presidential elections of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The roles and responsibilities of mass media in this process".

Later, the sides exchanged views on the report and interest issues were discussed.

AZERTAC