 | |
| Country | Azerbaijan |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Azerbaijan |
| Headquarters | Baku, Azerbaijan |
| Programming | |
| Language | Azerbaijani |
| Picture format | 16:9HDTV |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Public Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (statutory corporation) |
| History | |
| Launched | August 29, 2005; 20 years ago (2005-08-29) |
| Links | |
| Website | itv.az |
İctimai Television (İTV;Azerbaijani:İctimai Televiziya,lit. 'Public Television',[itʃtimɑˈiteleˈvizijɑ]) is apublic television channel inAzerbaijan. After its legal creation in 2004, the station began broadcasting on 29 August 2005, making it the first independent public broadcaster inAzerbaijan.[1] The channel is based inBaku.
İTV is primarily funded through advertising and government payments.[2][3] The law of January 2004 creating the channel called for funding to come from atelevision licence fee beginning in January 2010,[2][4] but this portion of the law has currently yet to be implemented as of November 2025.[5]
The channel is operated by the Public Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (Azerbaijani:İctimai Televiziya və Radio Yayımları Şirkəti), which consists of a nine-member council whose members are approved by thePresident of Azerbaijan and a director general elected by the council and also approved by the President.[1][6]
The company also operates the İctimai Radio public radio station, which commenced broadcasting on 10 January 2006. This arrangement, together with continued state financing, has been subject to criticism bynon-governmental organizations because the channel may be too closely connected to the government to be fully independent and unbiased.[7][8][9]
İTV became a member of theEuropean Broadcasting Union on 5 July 2007, allowing it to take part in events such as theEurovision Song Contest, which it entered for the first time in2008.[10] Following Azerbaijan's win in theEurovision Song Contest 2011, İTV hosted the competition of2012 in Baku.[11]
The broadcaster was also supposed to host theThird Eurovision Dance Contest in Baku in 2009,[12] but this event was postponed and eventually cancelled due to the lack of participants.[13] The channel was created with a vision to reflect the national and spiritual values, national customs and traditions, culture and art. It operates in accordance with the laws of Azerbaijan.
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