Today marks the 70th anniversary of the commencement of operations of Azerbaijan Television (AzTV), the country's first and oldest television broadcaster.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that the construction of the building for the Baku Television Center, the nation's inaugural television space, began in 1954.
The history of AzTV: When was "Baku is showing!" first heard?
The television center building, created by Azerbaijani builders and specialists in collaboration with colleagues from Moscow and Leningrad, was handed over at the end of 1955. Until February 1956, the Baku studio aired occasional test broadcasts.
The historic moment took place on February 14. During the first broadcast, which began with the iconic phrase "Baku is showing!", legendary announcer Najiba Melikova congratulated viewers on the start of television operations. Immediately after the opening, the feature film "Bakhtiyar" was screened.
The early years: How television specialists were formed
In its initial period, the Baku studio aired two-hour programs, first twice and later three times a week. As there were no professional specialists in the field of television at that time, employees from radio, newspapers, and theaters were primarily invited to work at the station.
During those years, concepts of programming and network models had not yet been fully formed. Consequently, the new mass media outlet functioned more as a visual relay. Television workers would gather daily to collectively decide what to present to the audience.
The choices were not very diverse. The airwaves mainly featured concerts consisting of classical and pop music, feature films, theatrical performances, and socio-political interviews. News bulletins consisted of short 15-minute segments read by the announcer from newspapers.
Evolution of broadcasting hours: From 2 hours to continuous airtime
Starting from 1957, television in Azerbaijan began broadcasting five times a week, and the daily volume of programs reached 2 hours and 20 minutes. The pace of development continued in the following years:
In 1962, the volume of daily broadcast programs rose to 7 hours, in the 1970s to 10 hours, and in the 1980s to 18 hours. Since January 2005, the television channel has transitioned to full 24-hour continuous broadcasting.
Significance of AzTV in Azerbaijan's media landscape
As the state broadcaster, AzTV has played a pivotal role in documenting the modern history of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Beyond its role as a news provider, the channel serves as a cultural archive, preserving the nation's language, arts, and traditions for future generations. Today, AzTV continues to modernize its infrastructure, utilizing high-definition broadcasting and digital platforms to reach audiences both in Azerbaijan and across the globe, maintaining its status as a cornerstone of the national media environment.
