İctimai Television
İctimai Television (Azerbaijani: İctimai Televiziya [itʃtimɑˈi teleˈvizijɑ], "Public Television"), or İTV, is a public television channel in Azerbaijan. After its legal creation in early 2004, the station began broadcasting on 29 August 2005, making it the first independent public broadcaster in Azerbaijan.[1] The channel is based in Baku.
Country | Azerbaijan |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Azerbaijan |
Headquarters | Baku, Azerbaijan |
Programming | |
Language(s) | Azerbaijani |
Picture format | 16:9 HDTV |
Ownership | |
Owner | Public Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (statutory corporation) |
History | |
Launched | August 29, 2005 |
Links | |
Website | itv.az |
Organisation
İTV is primarily funded through advertising and government payments.[2][3] The law of January 2004 creating the channel called for funding to come from a television licence fee beginning in January 2010,[2][4] but this portion of the law has currently yet to be implemented as of October 2023.[5]
The channel is operated by the Public Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (Azerbaijani: İctimai Televiziya və Radio Yayımları Şirkəti), which consists of a nine member council whose members are approved by the President of Azerbaijan and a director general elected by the council and also approved by the President.[1][6]
The company also operates the İctimai Radio public radio station, which commenced broadcasting on 10 January 2006. This arrangement, together with continued state financing, has been subject to criticism by non-governmental organizations on the grounds that the channel may be too closely connected to the government to be fully independent and unbiased.[7][8][9]
Programming
İTV became a member of the European Broadcasting Union on 5 July 2007, allowing it to take part in events such as the Eurovision Song Contest, which it entered for the first time in 2008.[10] Following Azerbaijan’s win in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011, İTV hosted the competition of 2012 in Baku.[11]
The broadcaster was also supposed to host the Third Eurovision Dance Contest in Baku in 2009,[12] but this event was postponed and eventually cancelled due to the lack of participants.[13]
Logo history
- 2007–2013
- 2013–2018
- 2019–2021
- 2021–present
- İctimai Radio (2019–2021)
- İctimai Radio (2021–present)
References
- "Television Channels in Azerbaijan". Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan Republic. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
- "The Law of Azerbaijan Republic on Public TV-Radio Broadcasting" (PDF). 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 December 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
- Hajili, Rashid (2012). Hug, Adam (ed.). "Freedom of Media in Azerbaijan" (PDF). Spotlight on Azerbaijan. London: Foreign Policy Centre: 41. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 May 2012.
- Golovanov, Dmitry. "Azerbaijan : Public Broadcasting Introduced". IRIS Legal Observations. European Audiovisual Observatory. Archived from the original on 18 November 2006. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
- "Funds for Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting Company to be increased". Azeri-Press Agency. 19 October 2013. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
- "Azeri parliament passes controversial broadcasting law". International Journalists' Network. Sitemap International Center for Journalists. 16 January 2004. Archived from the original on 26 March 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- Azerbaijan and the European Union: A Policy Dilemma (PDF). Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety. September 2013. p. 17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 March 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
- Huseynov, Emil (2012). "Freedom of Expression in Azerbaijan: The Internet as the last island of freedom". Pluralism and Internet Governance (PDF). Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). p. 90. ISBN 978-92-9234-642-3. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
- Kazimova, Arifa (18 March 2011). "Media in Azerbaijan: The Ruling Family Dominates TV, the Opposition Has Some Papers". Caucasus Analytical Digest. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich: Center for Security Studies (25): 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 March 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
- Sand, Jon Ola (January 2012). "Winners All Around". The Business Year. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
- "HD Production Vehicle and SNG/Support Vehicle for Ictimai TV Azerbaijan". live-production.tv. 4 April 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- Bakker, Sietse (2 February 2009). "Dance Contest 2009 to Baku, Azerbaijan". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
- "Eurovision Dance Contest 2009 is Postponed to 2010". eurovisionary.com. 29 May 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2020.