Xazar TV

Xazar TV, also written as Xəzər TV and sometimes rendered in English as Khazar TV, is a national terrestrial television channel in Azerbaijan. Its name refers to the Caspian Sea, or Khazar Sea, and its principal audience and broadcast market are Azerbaijani viewers. The channel is headquartered in Baku, at the White City complex in the Khatai raion, and forms part of the Xazar Media Center. The service originated on 11 January 2000 as STV Xazar, an Azerbaijani local feed of Turkey-based Samanyolu TV. In its initial phase, it largely simulcast programming from Samanyolu's main Turkish feed. This arrangement placed the channel within a wider cross-border television environment in which Azerbaijani viewers could receive Turkish-origin programming. Regulatory changes in Azerbaijan later affected the position of foreign television services and led to the planned closure of STV Xazar. The channel's frequency became the subject of a competition involving Xazar TV, Antenn TV, and Elm TV. Xazar TV was registered on 3 August 2007 and won the frequency competition at a meeting of the National Television and Radio Council on 14 September 2007. It received a six-year broadcasting licence and was intended to emphasize educational, cultural, and public-enlightenment programming. The planned editorial position was to maintain distance from both the government and the opposition while still covering political affairs. The new service was formally established on 2 October 2007 and began transmission on 3 October, shortly after STV Xazar ended its broadcast. Its public launch followed on 5 October under the slogan “Ailənizin Xəzəri,” meaning “Your family’s Xazar.” At first, the replacement channel retained much of its predecessor's programming structure. Its founding director, Asaf Hajiyev, said that music and films would initially serve as temporary filler before the schedule developed around news, educational content, cultural programming, and other locally oriented material. Over time, Xazar TV expanded into a general-interest broadcaster. Its schedule has included news, entertainment, television series, imported Turkish and Japanese programs, and other factual or popular formats. The channel's news output has been described as having a distinctive niche-reporting approach and a presentation style influenced by Turkish television. The broadcaster invested in new facilities in Baku White City. A new headquarters building was inaugurated on 30 December 2015, and the channel moved there officially in February 2016. Around the same period, audience measurement by AGB/Nielsen placed Xazar among Azerbaijan's most-watched television services; in January 2016 it was reported as the country's leading channel, with eight of the ten most-watched programs airing on Xazar TV. These rankings are historical audience claims rather than a current measurement of performance. Xazar TV received authorization to begin high-definition broadcasting alongside Azad Azerbaijan TV in 2017. Although an earlier start had been contemplated, HD transmission officially began on 18 September 2017. On 5 March 2020, SOCAR acquired the channel, bringing it into the state energy company's media structure through SOCAR Media Public Union. Murad Dadashov was appointed as its new head. The channel introduced a new logo in January 2023. Its broadcasting history has also included regulatory interruptions. In May 2020, the National Television and Radio Council ordered a one-hour suspension after the channel aired uncensored tobacco-use footage in the film “Qəlb oğrusu.” In August of the same year, the council ordered a three-hour suspension because advertising exceeded the permitted duration. A further preventive suspension affecting Xazar TV and its radio sister Araz FM lasted eight hours on 9 July 2024. Xazar TV remains an active Azerbaijani general-interest television brand, combining locally produced news and entertainment with selected imported programming.

Xazar TV's history begins with STV Xazar, which launched in Azerbaijan on 11 January 2000 as the local feed of Turkey's Samanyolu TV. The service initially simulcast the main Turkish feed, making it part of the cross-border television landscape serving Azerbaijani audiences. In July 2006, STV Xazar broadcast a documentary presentation concerning Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev after the event was held at Baku's Ambassador Hotel. The channel's original structure became untenable amid Azerbaijani regulatory discussions about foreign television channels. During 2007, several foreign services were removed or pressured to leave the country's terrestrial airwaves, and the National Television and Radio Council urged STV Xazar to cease transmission and relinquish its frequency. The frequency was contested by Xazar TV, Antenn TV, and Elm TV. Xazar TV was registered on 3 August 2007 and was selected as the successful applicant at the council's 14 September meeting. It received a six-year licence and was expected to give priority to educational, cultural, and enlightenment-oriented content while maintaining a stated distance from both government and opposition politics. Xazar TV was formally founded on 2 October 2007. It began transmitting on 3 October at 20:30 Azerbaijan time, approximately thirty minutes after STV Xazar ended its service, and was publicly launched on 5 October with the slogan “Ailənizin Xəzəri.” The first schedule resembled that of its predecessor, although founding director Asaf Hajiyev described the early films and music as temporary material while the broadcaster developed a fuller local schedule. News, education, cultural programming, and entertainment subsequently became central elements of the channel's identity. By the middle of the 2010s, Xazar TV had developed into a national general-interest broadcaster. Its output included locally produced news and entertainment, television series, and programs imported from Turkey and Japan. Its news style was described as distinctive, with niche reporting and a Turkish-influenced presentation. Audience data cited for January 2016 placed Xazar TV at the top of Azerbaijan's television ratings, with eight of the ten most-watched programs reportedly airing on the channel. The broadcaster also strengthened its physical infrastructure: a new building in Baku White City was inaugurated on 30 December 2015, followed by an official move in February 2016. The channel entered the high-definition era in 2017. The National Television and Radio Council allocated frequencies to Xazar TV and Azad Azerbaijan TV on 9 August, and Xazar TV began HD broadcasting on 18 September. A major ownership change followed on 5 March 2020, when SOCAR acquired the broadcaster through SOCAR Media Public Union. Murad Dadashov was appointed to lead the channel. Xazar TV later changed its logo in January 2023. Regulatory actions have been a recurring part of the channel's recent history. On 18 May 2020, broadcasting was stopped for one hour after uncensored tobacco-use footage appeared in the film “Qəlb oğrusu,” which the regulator considered a violation of broadcasting rules. On 14 August, the council ordered a further three-hour suspension to take place on 23 August because advertising time exceeded the permitted limit. Xazar TV and its radio affiliate Araz FM also underwent an eight-hour preventive suspension on 9 July 2024. Despite these interruptions, Xazar TV remains an active Azerbaijani terrestrial television service within the Xazar Media Center and SOCAR's media organization.

• 2023

  Visual identity update

  [1]Xazar TVen.wikipedia.org

  The channel adopts a new logo.

• 2020

  SOCAR becomes owner

  [1]Xazar TVen.wikipedia.org

  SOCAR acquires Xazar TV through SOCAR Media Public Union, with Murad Dadashov appointed as head.

• 2017

  HD broadcasting begins

  [1]Xazar TVen.wikipedia.org

  Xazar TV officially starts high-definition transmission on 18 September.

• 2015

  New headquarters inaugurated

  [1]Xazar TVen.wikipedia.org

  Xazar TV opens a new headquarters building in Baku White City on 30 December.

• 2007

  Xazar TV wins the contested frequency

  [1]Xazar TVen.wikipedia.org

  After registration and a competition involving three applicants, Xazar TV is selected by the National Television and Radio Council and receives a six-year licence.

• 2007

  Xazar TV begins its current form

  [1]Xazar TVen.wikipedia.org

  The channel is established in October and starts transmission after STV Xazar closes, with a public launch on 5 October.

• 2000

  STV Xazar launches

  [1]Xazar TVen.wikipedia.org

  The service begins on 11 January as the Azerbaijani feed of Samanyolu TV.

Azerbaijani national general-interest television combining news, entertainment, cultural and educational programming, with a presentation style partly influenced by Turkish broadcasting.

• National terrestrial television · 2007

  Xazar TV terrestrial channel

  The core Xazar TV service is a national Azerbaijani terrestrial television channel. It carries a general-interest schedule designed for a broad domestic audience, combining locally produced material with selected imported programs. The service transitioned from the former STV Xazar feed into an independently branded channel in 2007 and later added high-definition transmission in 2017.

• Television news · 2007

  Xazar TV news

  Xazar TV's news output is a central part of its general-interest schedule. It has been characterized by niche reporting and a presentation style influenced by Turkish television. The channel's stated post-relaunch direction included coverage of political affairs while seeking distance from both government and opposition positions.

• Entertainment programming · 2007

  Xazar TV entertainment and series

  The entertainment offering includes television series, films, music-related programming, and other popular formats. In the channel's early post-STV period, films and music were used as interim schedule material while locally oriented educational, cultural, and news programming was developed. The broader schedule has also included programming imported from Turkey and Japan.

• 2020

  Suspension over tobacco-use footage

  The National Television and Radio Council suspended Xazar TV for one hour after the channel aired uncensored footage showing tobacco use in the film “Qəlb oğrusu,” which the regulator deemed contrary to broadcasting requirements.

  Source

• 2020

  Suspension over excessive advertising

  The regulator ordered a three-hour suspension after determining that Xazar TV had aired more than sixteen minutes of advertising, exceeding the applicable limit.

  Source

Read more

• 2023

  Logo redesignOther

  Background

  The channel continued updating its public-facing identity after joining SOCAR's media organization.

  Action taken

  Xazar TV adopted a new logo in January 2023.

  Source

• 2020

  SOCAR acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Xazar TV underwent an ownership change within Azerbaijan's media and institutional landscape.

  Action taken

  SOCAR acquired Xazar TV through SOCAR Media Public Union and appointed Murad Dadashov as head of the channel.

  Aftermath

  Xazar TV became part of SOCAR's media structure and continued operating under the Xazar Media Center.

  Source

• 2017

  Transition to HD broadcastingOther

  Background

  The National Television and Radio Council allocated frequencies for Xazar TV and Azad Azerbaijan TV to begin high-definition broadcasting.

  Action taken

  Xazar TV commenced official HD transmission on 18 September 2017.

  Aftermath

  The channel expanded its technical offering beyond standard-definition terrestrial transmission.

  Source

• 2007

  Create an independent Xazar TV serviceStrategy

  Background

  Regulatory changes threatened the continuation of STV Xazar, while the service's frequency was contested by several applicants.

  Action taken

  Xazar TV was registered, won the frequency competition, received a six-year licence, and replaced STV Xazar with a schedule intended to emphasize education, culture, enlightenment, and news.

  Aftermath

  The channel became an Azerbaijani national general-interest broadcaster rather than a local simulcast of a Turkish service.

  Source

1. 1Xazar TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Xazar TV official websitexezertv.az