Turan, Azerbaijan’s first independent news agency, has announced it is halting operations, with director Mehman Aliyev attributing the decision to longstanding financial difficulties.
On the same day, reports emerged that the Azerbaijani government had ordered significant staff cuts at the local bureaus of Russia’s Sputnik news agency and the British broadcaster BBC, reducing them to a bare minimum.
“We have decided to suspend the agency’s operations in its current format”
Azerbaijan’s independent news agency Turan announced on February 13 that it is suspending operations due to persistent financial difficulties, marking the end of an era for one of the country’s longest-standing media outlets.
“For over three decades, Turan has been a pillar of independent journalism in Azerbaijan, providing objective and reliable reporting amid political and economic instability. Founded in 1990 during the final days of the Soviet Union, we have navigated the challenges of transition, war, and reform while staying true to our commitment to journalism in the public interest,” the agency said in a statement.
“However, today we must face an unavoidable reality: due to persistent financial constraints, we can no longer sustain our news operations in their current form. Despite continuous efforts to secure the necessary resources, financial difficulties that have plagued us for years have now forced us to make the difficult decision to suspend operations in this format,” the statement, signed by director Mehman Aliyev, read.
Aliyev emphasized that this is not the end of Turan’s mission, but rather an evolution.
“The media landscape is changing, and we recognize the need to adapt. In the coming months, we will explore new formats – ones that focus not only on news but also on analysis, identifying key issues, and proposing solutions. The future of journalism lies not just in breaking news, but in shaping understanding.”
Expressing gratitude to its readers, Turan stated, “Your trust and support have been the driving force behind our work, and we hope to continue this journey in a new and meaningful way. While we step away from our current model, we remain committed to our core mission: to serve as an independent voice and provide insight into an increasingly complex world.”
“Turan’s story is far from over. Stay with us,” the statement concluded.
“Opportunities for free media in Azerbaijan are limited”
Mehman Aliyev told Voice of America that the opportunities for free media in Azerbaijan are highly restricted.
“The size of the advertising market is also very limited. The media advertising market in 2022 was only 10 million manats, with 95 percent going to television. Official statistics on the media advertising market for 2023 have not been published.
This suggests the advertising market has shrunk even further. We have no advertisers. It’s very difficult to survive solely on subscriptions. Given the current situation, continuing our work is a very challenging task. That’s why we decided to halt our activities and shift to a new format,” he said.
Aliyev also noted that in the new format, the agency’s staff plans to focus more on analytical work.
“Analytical activity is more promising. Because there is a lot of information flow. It is difficult to say how our work will be perceived,” he added.
The editorial offices of Sputnik Azerbaijan and BBC News Azərbaycanca are being reduced
The editorial offices of Sputnik Azerbaijan and BBC News Azərbaycanca will be reduced, Azerbaijan’s pro-government media reported today, citing an informed source.
“Baku intends to restore balance between the working conditions of Azerbaijani state media abroad and foreign journalists in Azerbaijan. The number of staff at Sputnik Azerbaijan will be reduced to match that of AzerTaj’s Russian office—down to one person. The same will apply to BBC News Azərbaycanca,” the unnamed source said.
