BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 28. At present, the digital media space, which has become the new trend in the modern world, is expanding day by day and has an impact on the national information environment of the countries, Executive Director of the Media Development Agency Ahmad Ismayilov said during the first meeting of the regulatory bodies for audiovisual media of the member and observer countries of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), Trend reports on October 28.
"The process of information exchange, which takes place at high speed in a globalizing world, covers almost all countries," he stated.
Ismayilov noted that Azerbaijani media entered a new stage of reforms in order to adapt to modern challenges and more flexible responses. The Media Development Agency of Azerbaijan is implementing a strategy aimed at the sustainable development of media entities.
"The agency constantly pays attention to the issue of ensuring the economic independence of media entities as one of the main goals of its activities, conducts appropriate analysis and research for this purpose, and also takes measures to implement projects aimed at the introduction of modern information and communication technologies, innovations that open up new opportunities for the international exchange of information, ensuring the information safety of citizens, society and the state," he said.
Ismayilov stressed that the representatives of Azerbaijani media celebrated their professional holiday for the first time in the history of independent Azerbaijan by conducting an international forum in Shusha, the cultural capital of the country, on July 22, 2022.
"Media representatives exchanged opinions on relevant topics related to modern media with the representatives of foreign media, experts from almost 20 countries of the world and representatives of foreign media organizations during the international media forum in Shusha. The role of journalists in preventing mass disinformation, their struggle on the information front during the Second Karabakh War, and their part in providing prompt and accurate information to Azerbaijani society as well as important directions and principles related to the development of the Azerbaijani media were identified in the address of the Head of the state," he said.
According to Ismayilov, the integration of Azerbaijani media into international information space is becoming more important amid the new reality of the world. The joint media platform of Azerbaijan and Türkiye exists today.
"The aim of the joint media platform is to create a strategic media partnership to strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Türkiye in media and communications fields. The main activity in this direction is to bring the reality of both countries to the world community in international media. During the visit of the President of Uzbekistan in June 2022, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Media Development Agency of Azerbaijan and the Agency of Information and Mass Communications under the Presidential Administration of Uzbekistan. In addition, a Memorandum of Understanding between the Media Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Information and Social Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan was signed as part of the official visit of President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev," he informed.
"Within the framework of the signed memorandums of understanding with these fraternal countries members of OTS, the formation of bilateral cooperation mechanisms aimed at jointly promoting and protecting national interests in the media space, expanding the exchange of experience, and establishing interaction in the media sphere is provided. Along with this, the Azerbaijani Media Development Agency has established cooperation with such authoritative local and international organizations as ADA University, Al Jazeera, Haber Global, Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, and Anadolu Agency.
"The solidarity of journalists from all over the Turkic world is needed to convey the reality of Turkic countries to an international audience. The voice of these countries will be stronger and better heard if the media organizations fulfill their professional mission with a single ideology at all levels. Azerbaijan believes that the strengthened ties of the Turkic world, guided by the idea of unity, solidarity and cooperation, will continue successfully in the field of media. In order to convey objective information about the Turkic world to the international community, the professionalism and vigilance must be increased, and the unity of the countries must be strengthened," Ismayilov said.