18 December 2000 – Sponsored by the Thomson Foundation and the British Council, PressWise Associate Director Bill Norris travelled to Baku, Azerbaijan, last week to lead a seminar on ethics for local journalists. The outcome after lively debate was a draft based on the IFJ Code, which will now be circulated for ratification by the three main journalists’ unions in Azerbaijan.
Assisted by his namesake, former NUJ official Bob Norris, Norris used the code to provoke discussion on most of the ethical questions troubling journalists in Azerbaijan, ranging from a duty to tell the truth and the protection of confidential sources, to plagiarism, bribery, and the avoidance of discrimination against minorities. In the main the Code was adopted – with one deletion and the insertion of an alternative clause from the current NUJ code.
During the discussions it soon became apparent that there is both a need and desire for journalistic training in the country. Azerbaijan has some 720 newspapers, with no fewer than 500 being published in Baku alone. Many of these, however, are not really newspapers in the western sense of the term, being occasional publications often founded by individuals with the sole motive of promoting their political point of view. News and comment are routinely mixed, accuracy is dubious, and there is little attention paid to the basic journalistic skills of structuring a story. To add to the confusion, papers are published in three languages – Azeri, Russian and English – and in two alphabets – English and Cyrillic.
Part of the training problem arises from the fact that although there are university courses in journalism, producing about 200 graduates per year, the professors mostly learned their trade under the rigid strait-jacket of the old Soviet regime and are therefore ill-suited to educate the new, liberated generation of journalists. Seminar participants complained that they were taught virtually nothing about the practical application of their profession. Nor, because of the shortage of advertising and lack of financial resources, is there much opportunity to obtain training once they have started work.
Azerbaijan journalists operate under a new Media Law, which has been in operation for about twelve months. Though apparently liberal in tone, with the abolition of censorship and useful provisions for freedom of information, certain clauses are causing concern. Notably our participants complained about one section which permits a newspaper to be shut down if it is convicted of three offences, such as insulting the honour of government ministers. So far this year there have been 25 court actions against the mass media and individual journalists, heavy fines have been levied and seven journalists imprisoned.
Many of the problems are ascribed to the ‘transition period’ which began with the end of the Soviet regime in Azerbaijan. The change unleashed a spate of less than responsible journalism in the country as reporters and editors responded enthusiastically to their new-found freedom, and with capital start-up costs of less than $6,000 newspapers mushroomed. Ten years on, the situation shows few signs of stabilising, and there was lively discussion on the issue during the seminar.
Participants showed a keen interest in the structure of the British media, on the degree and type of regulation and, especially, on the salaries earned in this country. Not surprising, since the average Azeri journalist is paid less than $200 per month.
During the course of their 10 day visit, the two Norrises gave a plethora of interviews to the local press, radio and television. Unfortunately, speaking neither Azeri nor Russian, they were unable to read their cuttings. However, the enthusiastic response seemed to indicate that the event was a considerable success.
(Bulletin No 34)