Azerbaijan bans putting foreign serials on nationwide TV Channels

Today, Azerbaijan has enacted a ban on showing foreign-made serials and feature films on nationwide TV Channels. According to Nushiravan Magerramli, Chairman of the National TV and Radio Board (NTRB), which made this decision, it is aimed at moral upbringing of young people and will promote the development of the local film industry. The TV broadcasters do not express dissatisfaction with the decision of the NTRB. Alesker Mamedli, the head of the Monitoring Centre of Azerbaijan Broadcasters, believes that the decision violates the broadcasters' rights and limits the choice of the viewers.

The decision to ban the show of foreign serials on nationwide TV Channels was made by the NTRB of Azerbaijan back on December 22, 2011.

Magerramli: NTRB's decision is aimed at moral upbringing of youth and will promote local film industry

The decision to ban foreign soap operas has come into force; and there will be no exceptions, said Nushiravan Magerramli, the head of the NTRB. According to his story, for violating the ban TV Channels will be punished in accordance with the law. In particular, first they will be warned, then - fined. If some channel will persist in violating the decision, its license may be revoked.

Mr Magerramli said that TV Channels had plenty of time to get ready for the innovation. Besides, as he added, the government had allocated 5 million manats (over 6 million US dollars) for production of local serials; and they had already filmed 15 of them.

He emphasized that the decision will contribute to the progress of the local film industry. Besides, the exclusion of foreign films from local broadcasting is aimed at the moral upbringing of youth.

Nushiravan Magerramli does not think that this measure of the NTRB has the character of censorship, as some experts say, because viewers can watch satellite and cable TV programmes.

Broadcasters express no objections to the NTRB's decision

The decision of the NTRB aroused no disagreement of the broadcasters.

"This is a normal decision. Recently, the public television has seen a growth of local serials. I think that for us this decision will create no difficulties. On the contrary, this step will encourage us to a more productive work, the more that we have experienced professionals," said Takhir Mamedov, the head of the PR division of the Public Television of Azerbaijan.

Mais Mamedov, the advisor to the president of the private TV and radio company ANS, also welcomed the NTRB's decision: "We support this decision with both hands."

At the same time, the ANS spokesman referenced to the positive experience of Turkey and Russia, dominated by screening of locally made serials and notable for a significant decrease in showing Latin American soap operas.

Gadjily: NTRB's ban illegally restricts opportunities of TV companies

The NTRB has exceeded its powers by introducing a ban on broadcasting foreign soap operas, Rashid Gadjily, Director of the Institute of Media Law (IML), is convinced.

"The ban means unlawful restriction of broadcasters' freedom to choose TV programmes. The motives of moral upbringing are also unjustified, since it is a very vague concept, which has no legal definition in legislation," the expert told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

In his opinion, the NTRB may adopt restrictive decisions only on the content of a particular serial.

Alesker Mamedli, the head of the Monitoring Centre of Azerbaijani broadcasters also believes the NTRB's decision is restrictive.

In particular, the NTRB's decision not only violates the broadcasters' rights, but also limits the choice of TV viewers, as obliges those who want to watch foreign films to spend money on using the services of cable and satellite broadcasters, said Mamedli.

He believes that the consent of TV Channels with the NTRB's decision has to do with the controllability of broadcasters by the government, and their fears to lose their licenses.

Zeinal Mamedli, another expert in TV and radio broadcasting and a teacher at the Department of Journalism at the Baku State University, has described the NTRB's decision as interference in the creative work of private broadcasters.

In his opinion, this measure will affect the revenues of broadcasters, since foreign serials attracted a significant part of advertisers.

Togrul Mamedov, the assistant to the head of the NTRB, finds the decision of his agency to ban broadcasting of foreign serials legitimate: "The NTRB has every right to do it. According to Article 9.1 of the Regulations on the NTRB, the Board has the right to take enforcement decisions."

Baku residents have different opinions on the ban

The reaction of Baku residents to the NTRB's decision to ban broadcasting of foreign serials on TV was not unanimous.

"I don't know what they want. First, they banned broadcasting of serials in the Russian and Turkish languages. It was really funny, when they translated the Turkish language of Turkish serials that we understand quite well into the Azerbaijani language. Well, at least we had something to watch. Now, we are forced to watch only local serials, which are very primitive. So, we'll have to switchover to cable television," said Simuzar Nadjafova, 41, a teacher of one of high schools of Baku.

The 75-year-old Fakhranda Agaeva approves the NTRB's decision. "These foreign serials are full of fraud, deceit, betrayal and violence. They can't teach young people to anything good. However, our literature has so many good works; let them make high quality films based thereon. Moreover, our government has now plenty of money," she said.