Azerbaijan celebrates 150th anniversary of National Press

In 1875, Hasan Bey Zardabi – an Azerbaijani intellectual and prominent enthusiast of the time – introduced “Ekinchi” (cultivator, farmer), the first newspaper in the Azerbaijani language. The newspaper, which published 56 issues, became a mirror of society and a standard-bearer of Azerbaijani journalism.

Thus, this year, Azerbaijan proudly celebrates the 150th anniversary of its National Press. This anniversary marks the evolution of Azerbaijani journalism from humble beginnings to a dynamic and sustainable institution at the heart of national development. “Ekinchi” was more than a newspaper — it was a movement.

After it, there were great advances in this field, with the emergence of many other newspapers and magazines.

Since its establishment, the press began to play an important role in the social, political and cultural life of the Azerbaijani people. After the restoration of independence in 1991, the Azerbaijani press entered a new stage of development.

During the presidency of Heydar Aliyev, the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people, the media sector in independent Azerbaijan underwent fundamental transformations. In 1998, official censorship was abolished — a crucial milestone for press freedom. “Freedom of the press is one of the most important achievements of our independence”, Heydar Aliyev used to say. He believed that a strong and responsible press was indispensable for nation-building and public accountability: “The press is a mirror of the people’s thoughts, and we must ensure that it reflects truth, justice, and progress.”

Since 2003, Ilham Aliyev, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan has continued and deepened reforms to strengthen the media environment in Azerbaijan. He said: “Our goal is to build a media landscape that is free, accountable, and aligned with national interests.”

Priority has been given to transparency, modernization and institutional capacity in the press sector. Among the main reforms and initiatives, it is worth noting the establishment of the Agency for the Development of Media of the Republic of Azerbaijan as a public legal entity in 2021 with the aim of state support for the development of the media in the country. The Law “On Media”, which entered into force in 2022, defines the legal framework of relations between the state and the media, as well as the organizational, legal and economic principles of media activity in the country, including the rules for receiving, preparing, broadcasting, producing and distributing mass information.

On October 14, 2022, the Media Registry — an electronic information system for systematizing data on media entities, editorial offices and journalists in the Republic of Azerbaijan — began to operate. This registry aims to collect information on existing media and journalists, strengthen their economic independence, determine the beneficiaries of various privileges and develop mechanisms for protecting their rights. All professional media entities in the country have already submitted their data to the Registry, and this process has been completed.

The Azerbaijan State News Agency and other news agencies operate in several languages. About 20 print and online media operate in the languages of national minorities.

The Media Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan also provides financial support on a competitive basis to media entities without discrimination based on the language they operate in. One of the main objectives of state support is to help digitalize the media and encourage press entities to make a complete restructuring of their websites. The financial assistance aims to strengthen the website infrastructure, expand language capacities, ensure security and improve digital quality. The state also finances regional media, has built housing for journalists and has provided grants for investigative reporting. As Azerbaijan celebrates the 150th anniversary of its national press, it honors the vision of Hasan Bey Zardabi and the bold reforms of the past three decades. Azerbaijani media still has room for development — while preserving the values of truth, national unity, and public interest in an increasingly digital and interconnected world.