Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting (AzTV)

The roots of Azerbaijan’s state broadcasting can be traced to 1926, with the establishment of Azerbaijan Radio. Three decades later, in 1956, the Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting enterprise came into being, ushering in television broadcasts alongside radio services.

Media assets

Television: AzTV, Idman Azerbaijan TV, Medeniyyet TV

State Media Matrix Typology

Ownership and governance

AzTV remains a fully state‑owned closed joint‑stock company, established under Presidential Decree No. 213. The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan directly appoints its chair, vice‑chair, and the boards of directors for both its television and radio divisions. Rovshan Ragif oglu Mammadov, a seasoned journalist and academic, has served as Chairman of AzTV since 2019, succeeding Arif Alishanov.

Source of funding and budget

For over six decades, AzTV has subsisted entirely on state subsidies, including AZN 33 million in 2020. The organization is required to disclose its finances due to its government funding, but has consistently failed to make these reports public.

That said, available figures show that in 2023, AzTV achieved a net profit of AZN 19.37 million, with assets valued at approximately AZN 34.83 million at the start of the year. Its liabilities were reduced by 37%, and its equity grew by 1.2%. For the 2025 fiscal year, the state budget allocated AZN 42.6 million to the broadcaster—virtually unchanged from 2024.

Editorial independence

AzTV operates firmly in lockstep with government positions. Journalists interviewed in 2023 and early 2024 for this report confirmed that its programming exclusively mirrors government viewpoints. . No domestic legal safeguards or independent oversight mechanisms exist to guarantee editorial autonomy.

August 2025