Today, we have a slightly unusual interview regarding the social responsibility with a businessman. The main difference of this interview is that we won't talk about simple social projects, we'll talk about significant activities undertaken outside the country in order to strengthen Azerbaijan's image. Samir Gurbanov, head of the AG Telecom company which is known to wide audience as the owner of KATV1 cable operator, has kindly agreed to answer our questions. By the way, AG Telecom celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
In recent years your company has become a strong promoter of Azerbaijan culture abroad. Why would one of the region's largest telecommunications companies be engaged in the promotion of Azerbaijan culture?
There can be only one answer to this question: because we - me and Azerbaijani people around me - love our homeland dearly. We do not want our compatriots living outside Azerbaijan to forget their ancestors' homeland, and thus their own homeland. We'll do our best for this purpose. In digital age, Azerbaijan cannot be limited by physical boundaries; our homeland will be much wider if all our compatriots living in different parts of the world keep a piece of motherland in their hearts. We should always keep it in our mind and build a country's popularization strategy basing on this important factor. We live in a changing world, so we should change all our activities according to this trend. We can't insist that we are the best within our country, and tell ourselves about our achievements. Each one of us should try to demonstrate Azerbaijan, its culture, history and achievements to rest of world.
As you know, AG Telecom actively participates in different projects with the goal to support Azerbaijan culture abroad. During many years TMBTV international channel, supervised by us, is an information partner of TURKSOY organization which is engaged in promotion of Turkic culture. The mere fact that the interests of Azerbaijan are supported by international TV channel increases respect and loyalty to our country.
Recently we have launched another media project - AGFM radio in Georgia on 100.6 and 101.5 frequencies. It should be noted that AGFM radio broadcasts in Azeri in order to promote Azerbaijani culture among our compatriots who live in Georgia. After launching the AGFM radio we have received a lot of words of gratitude from our compatriots. AGFM radio is also available on Azerspace satellite and digital receivers of cable operators.
We are currently exploring the possibility of launching similar radio channels in other countries where our compatriots live in. Anyway, every time we plan to launch a new radio we should take into account local legislation related to broadcasting issues.
TMBTV international channel has become popular "culture promoter" in the Turkic-speaking countries. Can you talk about the channel's strategy?
Indeed, we see a definite increase of popularity of TMB TV not only in Azerbaijan and Turkey, but also in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and what is really pleasant in some regions of Russia, especially in the Republics of Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. By the way, we have recently launched TMBRU in Russian cable networks for Russian-speaking TV audience. Through our channel the inhabitants of the mentioned countries could become familiar with performers of the neighboring countries and compare their performances. In any case, our strategy is not limited with demonstration of musical performances shown on TMBTV.
We are focused on long-term implementation of concept which could be characterized as "Turkic world - One family". For the moment we examine a number of regionally interesting projects that could bring Turkic peoples even much closer within different fields. We should never forget the number of Azerbaijanis who live in neighboring countries. Our TV channel allows each Azerbaijani to remember his origins by listening to music.
It should be stressed that TMBTV has a crucial role of "culture promoter" within this concept, and we are gradually moving forward in this direction. I think that in 2016-2017 we will get even closer to our final aim. This is a very complicated, quite time-consuming but at the same time realizable process.
But you still have another example of very interesting platform. I mean myvideo.az which actually allowed Azerbaijan TV channels to enter the global information space through Internet.
You know, myvideo.az which could be locally characterized as the most technologically advanced Internet TV platform is the pride of our company. Without any state support and on our own initiative we have developed a platform providing every Azerbaijani, living anywhere in the world, with opportunity of viewing Azerbaijani TV channels. Myvideo.az allows to view either TV programs in real time or what has been already broadcasted before with ten days archiving opportunity. It's not surprise that during the short pace of time myvideo.az has become very popular both in Azerbaijan and outside the country. Anyway, we have decided that we will not be content with already achieved results, and therefore we have already launched our new project called SmartBox. This device can turn every ordinary TV set into SmartTV; to say more exactly, it can integrate the Internet with TV set. In addition to different features repeatedly described in Azerbaijan press, SmartBox carries an important national mission. In fact, this little device provides every Azerbaijan family, living in different parts of the world, with opportunity of watching Azerbaijan TV channels on their TV sets. Besides, the built-in Facebook and Skype applications allow to communicate with relatives and friends living in Azerbaijan. It should be also noted that SmartBox allows watching videos uploaded to myvideo.az.
Our goal is to inform the relevant institutions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Committee on Work with Diaspora about the capabilities of SmartBox for integration of Azerbaijanis all over the world.
A team can achieve amazing results if it sets big tasks. What can you recommend to other companies of Azerbaijan?
The main goal of any business is to generate profits, and every business adheres to this strategy. But I think that modern business is not only profits, but also a realization of social mission for motherland and its people. You know, everything that we currently have would not have happened without Azerbaijan. And every businessman should try to do his best for motherland's eminence. If each one of us makes anything good for country, you can't even imagine what kind of synergistic effect we will have.