Azerbaijan Free Speech Foundation held a round table meeting in the theme “Mass media and information services: analysis of the existing situation and strategical development directions” with attendance of mass media, representatives of information services, professionals and lawyers.
Opening the round table meeting the chief of Free Speech Foundation, poet Musa Yaqub informed the guests about the project covering the event. Chief of Free Speech Foundation said that they want to hold this project contained of some stage in the purposes of establishing relation between the leaders of information services and mass media, and direction their relation to the modern course.
Then the executive director of the Free Speech Foundation Vugar Tofigly talked about the preparation of the event and differing relation of leaders of information services to the foundation collective invitation to the meeting. He noted that some of them have not possessed deeply the activity principles yet.
And Nazirmammad Quliyev, project coordinator talked about “Mass media and information services: analysis of the existing situation and strategical development directions”. Nazirmammad Quliyev said that wish to carry this theme into the focus of discussion with the attendance of mass media, representatives of information services and professionals is not accidental. Because there are some reasons that take the realization of this project into necessity. The first reason is that there are sufficient problems in this field. These problems emerge due if journalists want to receive information, if they want to make the information exact, if they want to receive information or explanation from the leaders of state and private entities in other words during the compulsory meeting of journalists and information services entities.
It is gratifying case that, in the comparison of previous years nowadays in this field positive inclination is being happened. So that number of information services establishing better their work and trying to make an effort are increasing. It could be connected with reaching to a formalized entity status in our country of internet sites of most organizations and other electronic resources, information services structures. But it is a pity that we can not be dedicated these words to all of them. We will get more opportunities to research this with the attendance of journalists in the frame of this project.
According to the words of Project coordinator, legislation in this field is sufficiently normal: “Indeed according to the rules of legislation not only media entities, but also every citizen can get information which spread of it not forbidden by legislation through appealevery organization. Receiving information of mass media is regulated by article 50 contained freedom of information and article 47 containing freedom of speech and thought of the Constutition of Azerbaijan Republic, Law of “ Receiving information about Environment” dated June 25, 2002, Law of “ Air of Public Television and Radio” September 28, 2004, indicated clearly in the article 8 about right of receive information of mass media of Law of “Mass Media”, Azerbaijan Republic Law about “ Receive information”, at the same time demands of the Law about “Right of information” dated September 9, 1998 determining the borders of right of information, and other rules”.
Then N. Quliyev noted that there are different approaches in the stage of differently directed relations for existence of problems continuing through years and yet could not be resolved between Mass media and information services: “One of the arguments makes important to take the professionality factor into discussion focus. And I also support this thought that, the persons obliged to work in the media field should work in this field during some time, and should get some information about this field and its principles. Consideration these factors due the process determination of them can carry more advantage to them than loyality principle . Naturally, In tnis case it is talking about the measures of administration in the informational society meeting the conditions of modern constitutional state and civil society. In the modern statehood the key function of information service can not be established on concealing of the organization which it representates. Conversely, if it is more connected with media, it gets clear that this entity is efficient. Because of it information services should be more interested in seeming in the media stage more than reperesentatives of mass media. But if the leaders of these entities are not consisted of professionals they cannot establish any relation or are not interested in establishing any relation for not being acquainted or any other reasons.
N.Guliyev told about the role of mass media over the problem: “Of course there is strong responsibility on mass media. There are several journalists who don’t care about the relevant legislation, journalist ethics, labor codes. This craetes the base for severe problems. But it is glad that there number is less than better ones who can influence to the public opinion”.
Then discussion over the topic was held among invited specialists, representatives of mass media and chiefs of information service. The chief of Information service of Industry and Power engineering Ministry Azer Masimli, honoured journalist Anvar Gafarli, chief editor of “Sharg” newspaper Akif Ashirli, chief of information service of Main educational body of Baku Zamina Aligizi, chief of “Turan” information agency Mehman Aliyev, chief of infomation service of “Akkord” OJSC Afag Guliyeva, chief of “ELS” independent research centre Irada Yagubova, chief editor of “Tezadlar” newspaper Asif Marzili and others expressed their opinion about the topic and forwarded their suggestions. Round table finished with hot discussion.
Foundation of Free Speech