Additions and changes made to Law on Broadcasting

Azerbaijan, Baku, April 3 / Trend , corr. A.Huseynbala /

On April 3, the Parliament of Azerbaijan adopted additions and changes to the Law on Broadcasting.

The project of additions and changes was devised by the parliamentary commission on culture. In general, eight additions and changes were made to the law.  

According to the changes, if necessary to make any changes to the participation share and foundation of the private broadcasting company, relevant state agencies must be notified of this one month prior.  

This change shall be introduced after the conclusion of appropriate state agency within two months regarding correspondence of changes with the requirements of the law, and within one month, new documents shall be submitted to appropriate state agencies. If the requirements of law, rule and condition for special agreement (license) are broke, administrative punishments shall be imposed and (or) a lawsuit shall be filed if necessary (during events important for the community, elections, big sport competitions).

Action licenses or broadcasting of any program can be temporarily ceased by Court decision if during one year the broadcaster at least three times sustains sanctions by appropriate state agencies when tele-broadcaster brakes rules and conditions of license or the requirement of this law.

The total volume of advertisement and tele-trade can not compose more than 12 minutes per an hour, broadcaster can transmit only one program at the frequency in the entire country chosen for it.

MP Mubariz Gurbanli said that in the future it needs to consider in the law the question of distorting Azeri language on private television channels. "The people with the defects of speech present telecasts on private television channels and they distort Azeri language. The Council on Television and Radio must take certain actions in with regards to this question," said Gurbanli.

Musavat group of MPs will make proposals to this law, said MP Panah Huseynov.
MP Ganira Pashayeva said that additions and changes to the Law on Broadcasting will not negatively influence the television channels.

"The sphere of social advertisement has weakly developed in Azerbaijan. There is a need to propagate the problems worrying society by means of rollers. Social advertisement must be excluded from the advertisement and free ether time must be provided for it. Rarely it is possible to see social advertisements on the television channels," said Pashayeva.

Making additions and changes to the law was caused by need, said Nushiravan Maharramli, chairman of d the chairman OF [NSTR].