Dec 23, 2008

Baku Threatens Radio Silence for Foreign Media

Christian Science Monitor: Recent government threats to stop issuing broadcast licenses to foreign media, including the BBC and Voice of America, is further evidence of crumbling press freedom here and may reflect the country's shift away from Washington in favor of Russia, experts say.

Earlier this fall, government officials threatened to terminate the licenses of several prominent foreign broadcasters. Although these news organizations could continue to work in other mediums – including the Web, cable, and satellite – radio remains king of independent media in this tiny, oil-rich nation.

The decision would effectively silence foreign media, says Kenan Aliyev, director of Radio Liberty in Azerbaijan.


This does not bode well...

2 comments:

LIVLIVS MAXIMVS said...

And do you know the official "reason"? They say that those frequencies are national property and belongs to our people. Why should foreigners exploit our national resources?

Interestingly, our government pretty forgets that foreigners "exploit" another "national" resource of "ourselves" - oil and gas.

Absurdistan...

Ern said...

America lets foreign media on its soil regularly. I can watch Russian news any time any day. Just saying.