Media support body's new board holds its first session
By Nazrin Gadimova
The newly established Observational Board of Azerbaijan's Fund of State Support to Media Development held its first session on June 12. The session focused on the election of the chairman and deputy chairman of the Board.
Opening the session, the Presidential Administration's head of social and political affairs Ali Hasanov congratulated the Executive Director of the Fund and members of the Board on the new appointments.
He spoke about the measures necessary to improve the activity of the Fund and the positive impact of financial support and other measures to strengthen the independence of the media.
The Fund's Executive Director Vugar Safarli outlined its future plans.
Later, Chairman of the International Eurasia Press Fund Umud Mirzayev was elected Chairman of the Observational Board and Editor-in-Chief of "Iki Sahil" newspaper Vugar Rahimzade was elected vice chairman.
Chairman of the Press Council Aflatun Amashov and Editor-in-Chief of 525-ci qezet newspaper Rashad Majid also addressed the session.
The Azerbaijani state media support fund was established in 2009. The purposes of the Fund are to develop freedom of speech and information, to support independence of mass media, to improve the mechanism of aid to editorial boards, to promote application of new information and communication technologies, to strengthen efficient cooperation between the public and mass media, and to use efficiently the potential of the media in the solution of issues deemed a priority for the state and society while taking into account the important role of the media in the process of civil society building in the country.