General information on the Audiovisual Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan

By the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On Media" dated December 30, 2021 the Audiovisual Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan was defined as the body regulating the sphere of audiovisual media.

In accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated February 08, 2022, the Audiovisual Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan is the legal successor of the National Television and Radio Council, that had been established by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated 05 October 2002.

The Council is financed from the state budget and other sources, not prohibited by Law. The Council has organizational and functional independence, and illegal interference in its activities is unacceptable. 

The Council composed of 7 (seven) members, including the Chair. The term of office of the members is 5 (five) years. The same person cannot be a member of the Council more than twice in a row.

Areas of activity of the Council are:

• performing the regulation of audiovisual media sphere;
• monitoring of audiovisual media in order to control over compliance with the current legislation;
• participating in the development of state policy in audiovisual media sphere;
• ensuring the implementation of this policy;
• operating in other areas determined by this

Duties of the Council are:

• participating in the development and implementation of normative legal acts, development concepts, and target programs in the field of audiovisual media, adopting acts of a normative character in the field of audiovisual media;
• determining sound and image quality indicators for audiovisual broadcasting, issuing licenses for audiovisual media entities, carrying out inspections in the field of audiovisual media in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On Media";
• adopting decisions that are binding on audiovisual media entities, implementing radio frequency planning of terrestrial broadcasting together with the body (institution) defined by the relevant executive authority;
• giving consent to the broadcasting of the programs of a foreign audiovisual broadcaster by using the services of the body (institution) defined by the relevant executive authority, ensuring the fulfillment of the obligations of the Republic of Azerbaijan on issues regulated by international agreements to which the Republic of Azerbaijan is a party and falling within the competence of the Council;
• taking measures in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On Media" and Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Azerbaijan in case of the detection of signs of administrative offense in the field of audiovisual media;
• performing other duties arising from this Law.