Azernews.Az

Only 8 per cent of Azerbaijan's population is informed about political and economic developments ongoing in the country from newspapers, head of the OSCE office in Baku Jose Luis Herrero says.
He said television and radio stations play a key role in informing citizens. According to research, over 90 per cent of people prefer them to print media, Herrero told a seminar for the local media on Friday dedicated to the October presidential elections.
Herrero said local TV channels and radio stations should capitalize on international standards and gain experience on the way election propaganda is conducted on foreign TV channels in order to justify their popularity. He said the OSCE was ready to provide the assistance needed to achieve the goal.
Herrero emphasized that under the Election Code, the media is required to provide equal conditions for all election hopefuls. Besides, journalists should treat reports on election propaganda with professionalism, refrain from taking sides and work to protect pluralism.
"Journalists should play the role of a guide in ensuring a healthy political future for the country and citizens' making the right choice. Media representatives should therefore be accurate and impartial not to divert people from the right path. Journalists may have their own views on a certain candidate, but they should not impose it on others. A journalist should communicate not his personal opinion but the opinion on the entire political stage."