Timeline Crisis in the Caucasus - 2009 Russian / Georgian Crisis and its Impact on Azerbaijan 2008: Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec 2009: Jan |  Pale purple color designates events directly related to Azerbaijan Jan 1                                                           Azerbaijan Shuts Down BBC, VOA, Radio Azadlig For more background see: November and December 1. The last moments..... Dear friends, On December 31, 2008, Radio Azadliq completed it's program on FM frequency at 12.00 am with the Overture of Uzeyir Hajibeyov's Koroglu opera. FM broadcast was stopped a few seconds later. This was a sad moment. However, as in that song it's just the beginning, not the end. Now you can listen to radio Azadliq in SW 9.48 for one hour (from 20.00 to 21.00 Baku time) via satellite and through Internet. Radio Azadliq continues broadcasting 10 hours of original programming a day. All programs will be aired according to previous schedule Xeber-eter morning show - 8.00-10.00 am Can Baki 12.00-13.00 pm Ishden Sonra 17-19.00 pm Kontekst - 20.00 You will find more interesting reports, photo and video in our web-page azadliqradiosu.az As a special project we are planning to start satire page very soon. STAY TUNED, Khadija Ismayilova http://www.azadliqradiosu.az http://www.azadliq.org 2. RFE/RL (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) President Jeffrey Gedmin called today's decision by the government of Azerbaijan to take foreign broadcasters off the air "a sad day for the Azeri people, who will now find themselves without access to free and independent media." The OSCE calls the move a "serious step backwards" for Azerbaijan and the US State Department says the decision "retards democratic reform in Azerbaijan." In Baku today, the Azeri National TV-Radio Council formally ruled to ban all international broadcasters, including RFE/RL, VOA, and BBC, from the airwaves effective January 1. The move essentially guarantees a monopoly for state-controlled media and prevents any independent news broadcasts from reaching the Azeri people. Gedmin rejected Azerbaijan's suggestion that RFE/RL can broadcast effectively on alternatives to FM frequencies such as Internet radio or shortwave. "Losing our FM frequency means losing 90% of our audience," he said. "Nevertheless, we will find ways to reach our listeners. Our mission of bringing uncensored news and information to the Azeri people is now more important than ever." Since the announcement two months ago that authorities were considering this move, Azeri advocates of press freedom have joined the US, EU, OSCE, and international media watchdog groups in condemnation of the regime's efforts at stopping the free exchange of information in Azerbaijan. About RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service For more than 50 years, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service, Radio Azadliq has operated within a challenging media environment as a dependable source of professional, independent, and up-to-the minute information and news. Broadcasting for 10 hours each day on 101.7 FM, Radio Azadliq puts the values of democracy and independence firmly at the center of its mission, and is the country's most popular international broadcaster (Dec 30, 2008). http://www.rferl.org/content/Azerbaijan_Shuts_Down_RFERL_VOA_BBC/1365205.html Interview with Jeffrey Gedmin in "World Politics Review" By Juliana Geran Pilon (Dec 12, 2008 ) http://www.rferl.org/content/PressRelease/1359320.html RFE/RL Listeners In Azerbaijan Angry Over Closure Of Azadliq By Khadija Ismayilova (Jan 2, 2009) http://www.rferl.org/Content/RFERL_Listeners_In_Azerbaijan_Protest_Broadcasters_Closure/1365897.html 3. BBC (British Broadcasting Company) Azeri ban on foreign broadcasts (Dec 30, 2008) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7805109.stm 4. VOA (Voice of America) US Regrets Azerbaijan Plan to Ban Foreign Radio Stations By VOA News (Dec 30, 2008) http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-12-30-voa40.cfm Editorial (Jan 02, 2009) http://www.voanews.com/uspolicy/2009-01-04-voa7.cfm 5. US State Department Azerbaijan Will not Renew the Broadcasting Licenses of Radio Liberty, Voice of America and the BBC By Gordon K. Duguid, Acting Deputy Spokesman (Dec 30, 2008) http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2008/dec/113522.htm 6. EU (European Union) EU Warns Azerbaijan Over Its BBC, Voice Of America Ban (Dec 31, 2008) http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/12/eu-warns-azerbaijan-over-its -bbc-voice-of-america-ban.html 7. EU HR Javier SOLANA Regrets the Decision by the Azerbaijani National TV and Radio Council To Stop Broadcasting Foreign Radio Stations (Dec 31, 2009) http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/en/declarations/105084.pdf 8. OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) Azerbaijan's ban on foreign FM radio broadcasting is serious step backwards, says OSCE media freedom representative (Dec 30, 2008) http://www.osce.org/item/35848.html 9. UPI (United Press International) Azerbaijan limits foreign radio broadcasts (Jan 1, 2009) http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/01/01/Azerbaijan_limits_foreign_ radio_broadcasts/UPI-65851230842209/ 10. Reuters Azerbaijan curbs foreign radio broadcasts By Lada Yevgrashina (Dec 30, 2008) http://uk.reuters.com/article/mediaNews/idUKLU31737120081230? pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true 11. AFP (Agence France-Press) EU warns Azerbaijan over its BBC, Voice of America ban (Dec 31, 2008) http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h81AFsbwdZ-VF8FdHskagnY567lA 12. RIA Novosti (Russian News and Information Agency) Azerbaijan bans foreign radio broadcasts on local frequencies (Jan 1, 2009) http://en.rian.ru/world/20090101/119305456.html 13. NewsBlaze Berman Urges Azerbaijan to Rescind Decision on U.S., British Broadcasting (Dec 30, 2008) http://newsblaze.com/story/2008123012330200002.pnw/topstory.html 14. NY Times (New York Times) Azerbaijan Bars Foreigners From Use of Its FM Band By Sabrina Tavernise (Jan 6, 2009) http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/07/world/europe/07azerbaijan.html?_r=1&th&emc=th 15. Wall Street Journal Azerbaijan Outlaws International Radio (Dec 30, 2008) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123067777878643861.html?mod=googlenews_wsj 16. International Herald Tribune US criticizes Azerbaijan for media ban (Dec 30, 2008) http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/12/30/america/NA-US-Azerbaijan.php Azerbaijan restricts foreign broadcasting companies By Sabrina Tavernise (Jan 6, 2009) http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/06/mideast/azer.php 17. Media Net Azerbaijan bans foreign radio broadcasts on local frequencies by Andy Sennitt (Dec 30, 2008) http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork 18. BLOG: Radio 2020 Azerbaijan Starts Year by Ending Foreign Broadcasts By George Williams (Jan 2, 2009) http://radio2020.wordpress.com/2009/01/02/azerbaijan-starts-year-by-ending-foreign-broadcasts/ 19. Zambia News Foreign radio broadcasts banned in ex-Soviet state (Jan 2, 2009) http://www.zambianews.net/story/448780 20. China National News Foreign radio broadcasts banned in ex-Soviet state (Jan 2, 2009) http://story.chinanationalnews.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/b8de8e630faf3631/id/448780/cs/1/ 21. Argentina Star Foreign radio broadcasts banned in ex-Soviet state (Jan 2, 2009) http://story.argentinastar.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/c08dd24cec417021/id/448780/cs/1/ 22. Singapore Star Foreign radio broadcasts banned in ex-Soviet state (Jan 2, 2009) http://story.singaporestar.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/c08dd24cec417021/id/448780/cs/1/ 23. BLOG: U.S. Politics Online China, Azerbaijan banning BBC and some other foreign medias (Jan 3, 2009) http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/breaking-news-politics/51127-china-azerbaijan- banning-bbc-some-other-foreign-medias.html 24. BLOG: Baybak, Voice of a Nation NTRBC decides to stop broadcasting of "Voice of America", BBC and Radio Liberty in Azerbaijan's national frequencies (Dec 30, 2008) http://www.en.baybak.com/ntrbc-decides-to-stop-broadcasting-of-"voice-of-america"- bbc-and-radio-liberty-in-azerbaijan's-national-frequencies.azr 25. BLOG: EXPAT.ru Azerbaijan bans foreign radio broadcasts on local frequencies (Jan 3, 2009) http://www.expat.ru/forum/russia-news/123960-azerbaijan-bans-foreign-radio- broadcasts-local-frequencies.html 26. BLOG: Global Voices on Line Azerbaijan: Foreign Broadcasts Banned Ahead of Constitutional Referendum By Ali S. Novruzov (Jan 4, 2009) http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/01/04/azerbaijan-bans-foreign-broadcasts- while-preparing-for-a-constitutional-referendum/ 27. BLOG: Kim Andrew Elliott Discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy Azerbaijan: demand for shortwave radios "has skyrocketed" since ban of foreign radio on FM http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=5563 28. BLOG: JudiNews U.S. and EU have expressed concern about the prohibition of foreign radio stations in Azerbaijan (Jan 4, 2009) http://judie-jud.blogspot.com/2009/01/us-and-eu-have-expressed-concern-about.html 29. Reporters Without Borders Government ban on foreign radio stations called "strategic error" (Jan 7, 2009) http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=29833 30. BLOG: GGoogi (English and Korean) Azerbaijan Bars Foreigners From Use of Its FM Band By Sabrina Tavernise (Jan 6, 2009) http://ggoogi.goanygate.com/en/node/4129 31. Daily Mail (UK) Oil-rich dictator cultivated by Prince Andrew blocks BBC broadcasts to Azerbaijan By William Stewart (Jan 5, 2009) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1105786/Oil-rich-dictator-cultivated- Prince-Andrew-blocks-BBC-broadcasts-Azerbaijan.html   Back to Crisis in the Caucasus - Index AI Home Page | Magazine Choice | Topics | Store | Contact us