Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 6 / Trend M.Aliyev /
Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Social and Political Department Chief Ali Hasanov regretted that some newspapers have sacrificed the function of disseminating the information for the sake of their political and material ambitions.
"Citizens are giving up trusting news they have read on newspapers," Hasanov said at the Central Elections Commission (CEC) specialized courses for the chairmen of district election commissions. "They are waiting for their confirmation on television channels."
Hasanov said that if anyone buys a newspaper in the morning, but can't get any objective and reliable information, one can assume that this newspaper has failed to meet its socio-political responsibility.
"A journalist must never speak coming out of his/her private opinions, because each editorial office is responsible for the accuracy and timeliness of its information," Hasanov said.
Hasanov said that it is necessary to read at least five newspapers a day in Azerbaijan to learn the truth.
"Some people completely condemn, others fully compliment the work of the government," Hasanov said. "The citizens themselves have to find common position and determine true and false information. In fact, the newspapers transparently and objectively must cover all issues."
As to combating misinformation, often spread through the Internet, Hasanov said Internet is like 'a cat without a master'.
Internet, along with simplifying communication between people, also spreads barbarism. However, everyone must feel responsibility before the law. Democracy is a conscious discipline, rather than anarchy, Hasanov said.
He recommended the co-chairmen of the district election commissions to 'ignore such things'.