The Caucasian States Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan
Do you ever recognize how fortunate we are to have full access to the internet? Countries like Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia have some restrictions, but they do have some popular news publications. In 2009, in Azerbaijan and Georgia, television was the major source of news, with Armenia making its way there. Today, social media has become more popular than television and radio.
ARMENIA MEDIA
First, in Armenia, ArmenPress, "The oldest Armenian news agency” is used frequently by their citizens. This online platform presents breaking news for Armenia. Aside from websites, listening to Armenian news is a popular source, and Armradio provides this. This radio station has a live stream, along with 3 national stations, and has been around since 1926. The seasoned radio station has brought trust to the Armenian people with reliable current events available in multiple languages. Armradio and Armenpress can be found on Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube.
The state-owned media in Armenia avoids any judgment that comes from the government. Some common independent news sites would include Civilnet.am, Factor.am, and hetq.am. A newspaper that Armenians are fond of is Tert.am, which consists of sports and current events and is also on Facebook and Youtube. Aside from this, TV is the most popular source of news and entertainment for Armenians. Channels like Horizon Armenian Television or Shant TV are well-known.
AZERBAIJAN MEDIA
For Azerbaijan, their media is very restricted and has a lack of enforced laws when it comes to freedom of speech. While state media is more political, the independent media in Azerbaijan focuses on social issues. State-owned television is a common news source, while independent news websites such as Azadliq', or Meydan TV are broadcasted abroad. According to Irex.org, “Nevertheless, social media remains a safer option for people to get truthful news than national or local electronic media''. Although, in the Youtube video below we will see how sometimes social media cannot always be fully reliable information. Newspapers and electronic media are so closely watched that it is almost impossible to get the truth out to the Azerbaijan people. Television stations are mostly run by the government. Youtube has grown to be more important in Azerbaijan, internet broadcasting there interests people more than television.
At left, Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.
This Youtube Video explains a bit about how fake accounts are being used in spite of the government in Azerbaijan.
GEORGIA MEDIA
As goes for Georgia, television is also a popular news source. Within Armenia’s social media, politicians are the famous influencers rather than movie stars or pop stars. Some youtube channels in Armenia spread disinformation such as Perfect TV like “American passports for all Armenians”. Online media and current news is growing in Georgia. The main channel Rustavi 2 is known for being the only “opposing channel” because it consisted of journalists who would criticize officials and give real news. Georgians can access this on television, or online to locate local news, weekly recaps, etc. This news channel is an independent, private company, in the ownership of Kibar Khalvashi.
According to GoEtheInstitute, Facebook is the most used social media application in Georgia, with 94.5% of the population using it.
ISSUES IN THE CAUCASUS
The major issue across all the Caucasian States is law enforcement and freedom of the press with access to media news.
Spy groups have been on journalists. “Azerbaijani government has used “Pegasus,” spyware developed by an Israeli company, NSO Group, to breach the personal information of at least 80 Azerbaijani journalists and civil society leaders; military confrontations at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border; and the introduction of a repressive new media law." Pegasus is a mobile surveillance spyware created by Israeli cyber arms that can be installed on most phones. This spyware can be used to snoop on political leaders, journalists, etc. worldwide. Last year, a journalist from TV Formula in Georgia was attacked because he wrote about the prohibitions on independent media, and situations like this have been happening throughout the Caucasian states. Journalists have been sent to jail, killed, or blackmailed by using their friends and family as a scare tactic.
At left, pictured is scenery in Armenia.
Another issue is the cost of internet access. The government may make the cost higher so fewer people can have access to the news. According to Freedom House, there are an estimated about 150,000 subscribers out of a 4.3 million population across the Caucasian States. Georgia has tried its best with recognizing the freedom of the press from the constitution, while Azerbaijan “Restricting the internet’s potential as a social, communications, and informational conduit in any of the countries in the region would not only be an infringement of the rights to free expression but also of development”.
By Grace Enright: Student at The University of Kansas
HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY
The Caucasian States Geography
Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan are among the countries that make up the Caucasian States. The southern Caucasus, which is the area between the Black and Caspian Seas, is made up of these three post-soviet countries. Although it hasn't always been this way, all of these nations do have one thing in common: they are all independent nations.
Georgia History
According to The World Factbook, Georgia is slightly smaller than South Carolina and slightly larger than West Virginia. As of 2022, Georgia is home to 4.9 million and functions under a semi-presidential republic. Things have not always looked this way for Georgia, in the 19th century, Georgia was incorporated into the Russian Empire. Following the Russian Revolution, it was independent for three years (1918–1921) before being forcibly absorbed into the USSR in 1921. It reclaimed its independence when the Soviet Union fell apart in 1991. Post-Soviet Union, Georgia’s journey from the Soviet Republic to free market democracy has not been simple.
Armenia History
Armenia is another one of the three Caucasian states. It is situated in southeastern Europe/western Asia, east of Turkey, north of Iran, and also bordered by Georgia and Azerbaijan. The population, as of 2022 is 3 million with a parliamentary democracy as the type of government. The government now operates under a parliamentary system according to constitutional amendments passed in December 2015. The Ottoman Empire implemented a program of forced relocation along with other harsh measures during World War I in the western part of Armenia, which led to at least 1 million Armenian deaths and was largely regarded as genocide. The eastern part of Armenia had declared its independence in 1918 but had been overrun by the Red Army of the Soviet Union in 1920.
Azerbaijan History
Finally, the last of the Caucus states is Azerbaijan. With the largest population of 10.4 million, for reference, Azerbaijan is ranked 90th in the world for population size. Similar to Georgia, Azerbaijan is also operated under a presidential republic government. For some background on the country, Azerbaijan was absorbed into the Soviet Union for seven decades after the Russian Empire's fall, but it was only momentarily independent (from 1918 to 1920). Azerbaijan has successfully reduced poverty since gaining independence in 1991 and has used the money it earns from oil and gas production to build up the nation's infrastructure.
By Brinley Pace: Student at the University of Kansas
MEDIA CLIMATES IN CAUCASIAN STATES
Now that there has been a brief introduction as to why these countries are the way that they are and operate the way that they do, it's important to understand how citizens get their news and information. Law enforcement and press freedom with access to media news are the main problems in all of the Caucasian States. Here is a breakdown of the media climate in each of the countries:
In Azerbaijan, their media is severely constrained and their rules protecting free speech are not consistently upheld. The independent media in Azerbaijan focuses more on social issues whereas the state media is more political.
In Georgia, the media environment is both diversified and sharply divided. Television is the main source of news. Media owners frequently maintain some level of control over journalistic output. As readers of print media drop and the audience for internet news increases, regional and community radio stations are also becoming more popular. The media laws of Georgia are sufficient in allowing for journalists and the media's independent work. However, there have been increasing attempts to change the law in recent years.
In Armenia, The present administration is attempting to address the issues in the media environment by enacting a number of new legislation. Two-thirds of the population accesses social networks every day, which are the primary news sources in Armenia. However, the majority of print and broadcast media continue to endure pressure over their political opinion due to their affiliation with powerful political and financial interests. The latest report released by the RSF stated that “Media diversity has blossomed but the government that emerged from Armenia’s ‘Velvet revolution’ in the spring of 2018 has failed to reduce the media’s polarization.”
By Brinley Pace: Student at the University of Kansas
JOURNALISTS IN THE CAUCUSES
While the Caucuses still suffer from certain forms of media censorship, these three countries have also produced some extraordinary journalists in places where free media isn’t a norm quite yet.
Edik Baghdasaryan, an Armenian journalist, directs the Investigative Journalists of Armenia and owns an independent newspaper titled Hetq, which is produced in multiple languages and provides accurate news for the people of Armenia. Baghdasaryan has even won a “Time for Free Press” award based on his efforts to promote free press.
In Georgia, female journalist and Georgia parliamentary member Irma Inashvili has experience both in TV media and government.In a region where the threat of harm comes for journalists who publish independent information not beneficial for their government, these journalists demonstrate strategic journalistic abilities.
These post-communist countries often struggle with the lasting effects of strict regimes and authoritarian leaders. For example, Azerbaijan is not necessarily a strict Communist party, however it remains a country with authoritarian tendencies and a weak sense of democracy. The abundance of political party members who have also been associated with the Communist party also point to the political climate of the country. Many of the Key Media Officials in Azerbaijan favor media censorship, even having a chief censor.
However, in spite of censorship tactics, journalists like Sabir Khudu ogli Rustamxanli advocate for press freedoms in Azerbaijan and the Popular Front Movement. Azerbaijan has a notorious community of journalists who target those who violate censorship, one of which being Yeni Nesil who has published a detailed list in English, Azeri, and Russian about the continued censorship abuses in an attempt to call out editors guilty of this press freedom crime. This journalist union’s published research that has been financially supported by organizations like the European Commission and the Council of Europe reveals the imbalances in TV and newspapers when it comes to equal coverage. This is shown in the percentages of coverage that each party gets. For example, the leading party of Azerbaijan YAP receives 79% of newspaper coverage from popular sources like “Khalg” and “Azerbaijan”, while only 8% was given to independent politicians.
Pictured: Sabir Khudu ogli Rustamxanli, Azerbaijani journalist and press freedom advocate.
by: Jace Ketter, University of Kansas student
VERIFYING SOURCES
Verifying sources from other regions in which the language is vastly different can be difficult, however the most important thing in determining what makes a source reliable in these post-communist countries is the agenda of whoever is providing the information. For example, according to Freedom House’s document discussing the misinformation and disinformation issues in Armenia, “ There is evidence that a number of major private TV networks are owned by or connected with the HHK, the Armenian Revolutionary Party (Dashnaktsutyun), or the Prosperous Armenia Party, and that several influential media resources are associated with former president Robert Kocharyan; ownership connections are often apparent in biased coverage”. Along with TV networks, it can also be extremely difficult for media consumers in countries with little press freedoms like Armenia to be able to tell who online news sources are owned and operated by.
Fact-Checking
While it can be easy to fall victim to fake news or misinformation in countries with limited press freedoms, there are some tactics that allow for readers to verify their news. Fact-checking organizations, education in media literacy, and strengthening independent journalism are all examples of how Armenians and other post-communist countries with strict media are able to receive reliable news. Armenia’s fact-checking media platforms, such as the Fact Investigation Platform by the Union of Informed Citizens and Media.am from the Media Initiatives Center, serve as key factors in reading laterally and using informed tactics to verify credibility.
This YouTube videos helps to explain how Azerbaijani journalists and citizens are seeking to verify information.
Media Literacy
While fact-checking sites are a new luxury of the 21st century, having good media literacy is one of the easiest ways to quickly check and verify your information. In a survey conducted by the Caucasus Research Resource Center, 59% or more than half of Georgians that were interviewed felt that they needed to worry about false information online however only 36% say they would go as far to do simple things like check for a publisher, and only 6% saying they bother to look at the URL of the site they’re viewing. Simple tactics such as reading laterally and cross-checking sources by looking to see if any other reputable news sources are reporting on the issue can go a long way for efforts in verifying information.
by: Jace Ketter, University of Kansas student
Credits:
Created with images by Rawpixel.com - "Fake news headline on a newspaper" • olegkruglyak3 - "TV remote in hand on the background of the TV" • Vastram - "Historic center - Icheri Sheher, Baku city, Azerbaijan Republic" • Leonid Andronov - "Haghartsin Monastery in Armenia" • monticellllo - "Open book lying on the table in the library"