Ismat Sattarov, chairman of the Audiovisual Council of Azerbaijan, has stated that the free airtime allocated for pre-election campaigns in the upcoming snap parliamentary elections should be at least three hours per week, Report informs.
He made this announcement during a meeting focused on ensuring equal opportunities for pre-election campaigning in Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis (Parliament) elections and discussing the operational principles of media entities.
Sattarov explained that the free airtime is distributed equally among all registered candidates:
“Free airtime should be scheduled at times when it can reach the widest audience. The schedule for airing pre-election materials is determined by a draw, involving representatives from the broadcaster and the relevant election commission. Information about the draw’s time and location is officially published. Additionally, the public broadcaster should allocate extra airtime for paid pre-election campaigns.”