Azertac
Founded on 1 March 1920, AZERTAC is Azerbaijan’s official news agency, having endured multiple name changes throughout the Soviet period before restoring its present title in the post‑Soviet era. Today, the agency broadcasts wire service content in eight languages—Azerbaijani, Russian, English, French, German, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese—covering a diverse array of subjects from politics and economics to culture, science, health, sports, and the environment.
Media assets
News agency: Azertac
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
AZERTAC remains firmly entrenched within the state apparatus: journalists interviewed in March 2024 reaffirmed that the Azerbaijani government unilaterally appoints its leadership, confirming both ownership and governance structures. As of late November 2022, Vugar Aliyev was appointed Chairman of the Board of AZERTAC, a position he continues to hold in mid-2025.
Source of funding and budget
The agency’s finances remain shrouded in opacity. According to observers in March 2024, AZERTAC relies predominantly on state subsidies, with virtually no public disclosures regarding its budget or revenue streams. To this day, no budget figures for either 2024 or 2025 have been made available, reinforcing the broader pattern of non‑transparency in Azerbaijan’s public sector.
Editorial independence
AZERTAC operates under explicit guidelines to disseminate government‑aligned narratives. Indeed, its output is notable for the complete absence of criticism toward authorities, with editorial content carefully crafted to uphold official positions.
No domestic laws or external watchdog mechanisms have been found that offer independent oversight of its editorial processes.
August 2025