Azerbaijan bans foreign TV serials on national TV channels

In Azerbaijan, starting May 1, 2012, the ban on screening foreign TV serials and feature films on national TV channels comes into effect. The appropriate decision was made on December 22 by the National TV and Radio Council (NTRC).

"The step is motivated by a desire to protect domestic filmmakers, and it is also aimed to promote local film industry," said today Nushiravan Magerramli, the head of the National TV and Radio Council.

Earlier, the "Caucasian Knot" reported that in 2008, in Azerbaijan, TV channels took off the air TV programmes in Russian in accordance with the direction of the National TV and Radio Council. According to the NTRC, the necessity of that decision follows from the Azerbaijani legislation. Later, the National TV and Radio Council decided to allow exceptional broadcasting in Russian of intellectual games, live broadcasts of official visits from abroad and educational programmes.

According to Nushiravan Magerramli, when deciding to ban the showing of foreign TV serials starting May 1, the NTRC was also guided by the concern for "moral education of youth." Nushiravan Magerramli has noted that "sometimes, TV channels broadcast foreign serials, which contradict our mentality."

However, the Media Rights Institute (MRI) treats the NTRC's decision as "the unlawful interference with broadcasters' activities and censorship on their programmes." According to representatives of the MRI, broadcasters' freedom and viewers' rights are being violated.