150 years have passed since the establishment of the Azerbaijani national press, APA reports.
Date July 22, when the first press organ in the country — the newspaper Akinchi (The Cultivator), founded by Hasan bey Zardabi — began publication, has been celebrated as National Press Day in Azerbaijan since 1991.
Although only 56 issues of Akinchi were published from July 22, 1875, to September 1877, it played an invaluable role in the formation and development of the national press in Azerbaijan. Akinchi, which mainly took on an educational mission, quickly gained popularity both among the intelligentsia and the general public. Not surprisingly, many prominent intellectuals and writers of the time collaborated with the paper and regularly contributed articles. However, Akinchi had a short lifespan. The Russian Tsarist regime grew wary of the newspaper’s role in enlightening the public and its increasing influence on socio-political awareness, eventually suspending its publication.
Since then, the Azerbaijani press has gone through periods of both decline and revival, but has always served as a mirror reflecting public perception of current events.
The abolition of censorship in August 1998 marked a significant breakthrough in the development of the press in Azerbaijan.
On August 16, 1998, President Heydar Aliyev signed a decree "On Measures to Ensure Freedom of Speech, Thought, and Information in the Republic of Azerbaijan," officially abolishing censorship of the mass media. This decree not only accelerated the development of the media but also laid the foundation for a broad State Program aimed at increasing their efficiency.
Today, numerous newspapers and magazines are published in the country, and online journalism is rapidly growing.
The wide celebration of press anniversaries, the provision of one-time financial assistance to media outlets, steps taken to strengthen the social protection of media workers, and the awarding of journalists with state honors for their contributions to the development of national media are all parts of the state’s support for journalism and journalists.
Under presidential orders aimed at improving the social welfare of media professionals, two residential buildings have been built for journalists. In 2013 and 2017, President Ilham Aliyev personally attended the apartment handover ceremonies for journalists in the buildings constructed in honor of National Press Day.
The principle of freedom of speech and press enshrined in the Constitution of Azerbaijan has helped the media develop into a free and strong institution of civil society. Of course, the main participants in all these achievements, and the primary drivers of the results obtained, are the journalists of Azerbaijan.
On June 30, 2020, President Ilham Aliyev signed an order on celebrating the 145th anniversary of the Azerbaijani national press.
On April 25, 2025, he signed another order on celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Azerbaijani national press.
On January 12, 2021, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree "On Deepening Reforms in the Media Sector in the Republic of Azerbaijan." According to the decree, in order to support the development of media in Azerbaijan, continue institutional reforms in this area, and encourage the use of new information and communication technologies and innovations, the Media Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan was established as a public legal entity, replacing the former State Support Fund for Mass Media Development under the President.
