On January 12, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree "On deepening media reforms in the Republic of Azerbaijan."

AZERTAC informs that the decree notes that after the restoration of state independence in Azerbaijan in the 90s of the last century, there are wide opportunities for the formation and development of modern media. It is noted that as a result of radical reforms in the country, censorship, other artificial barriers restricting freedom of speech and information have been eliminated, a progressive legal framework regulating the activities of the media has been formed, consistent measures have been taken to ensure the sustainable development of newsrooms.

The document says that the Azerbaijani media has undergone a unique development over the past period. At the same time, there is a need for qualitative changes in the media in the modern era of radical reforms in all spheres of public life, as well as the intensive nature of innovations in the single information space around the world, the rapid development of communications, the application of advanced technologies and methods. There is a need for fundamental reforms in this area in order to benefit more from the Azerbaijani media.

According to the decree, the Media Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan was established on the basis of the State Support Fund for Media Development under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan to support the development of the media in Azerbaijan, to continue institutional building in this area, to stimulate the introduction of new information and communication technologies and innovations. The Agency is the legal successor of the State Support Fund for the Development of Mass Media under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The authorized fund of the agency is 285,405 manat and is formed at the expense of the state budget. The general management and control over the activities of the Agency is carried out by the Chairman and 6 members of the Supervisory Board appointed and dismissed by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the current management is appointed by the Executive Director appointed and dismissed by the President.

The Cabinet of Ministers has been instructed to resolve the issue of providing the Agency with an administrative building and logistics within a month from the date of state registration.