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US Embassy discusses with the Azerbaijani government the problem of intervention into the satellite broadcast of "Radio Liberty", the press service of the United States Embassy in Baku reported, the Azerbaijani service of "Radio Liberty" says.

"We are aware of the difficulties of "AzadlygRadiosu" (Azerbaijani service of "Radio Liberty"-Ed.) and other media agencies in connection with the Azerbaijani satellite broadcast. We keep in touch with AzadlygRadiosu and the Government of Azerbaijan, for discussion of this issue," the U.S. Embassy statement said.

The embassy noted that the United States are the defenders of freedom of speech and media in Azerbaijan. "AzadlygRadiosu makes a significant contribution to the media environment of Azerbaijan. The operation of this radio is the model that is needed to Azerbaijan for having an objective and independent journalism," the statement said.

As stated in the article, last week the leadership of "Radio Liberty" spread a message about interventions in radio programs’ broadcasting. It was noted that interference contradicts to international telecommunications rules.

Thus, recently, anomalies in the picture and sound, freezing frames during the broadcast weekly television program "Good news," of Azerbaijani service of RS / RL are observed. This program is distributed by the “Medya TV” channel through popular Turkish TurkSat satellite. Usually, the background noise begins in 4-5 minutes as the program begins and stops as it is finished. Such disturbances have been observed within three weeks, starting since May 28, and to avoid this frequency of broadcasts and broadcasters have been changed.

The program was first broadcast on DengeTV, then on Sivas SRT. However, the engineers of the International Broadcasting Bureau of the United States recorded the electronic interventions aimed at disrupting the broadcast every time. The last intervention in "Good News" program broadcasting was recorded on June 16. The disturbances were also reported to be recorded on 22 and 23 June.

The program "Good News" was aired since November 2012 every Sunday by “MedyaTV” channel through satellite. The program consists of materials prepared by employees of Azerbaijani service of "Radio Liberty / Radio Free Europe" on the political, social, economic and cultural life of Azerbaijan.

In 2010 human rights organizations, and Artikle-19 in particular, focused on the establishment of full control of the Azerbaijani authorities over broadcasting structures in which criticism of the authorities is practically eliminated.

Thus, since 1 January 2009 the radios, which voiced alternative views – “Voice of America”, “Radio Liberty” and the BBC – stopped broadcasting on local frequencies in Azerbaijan. Due to unfavorable economic conditions and government pressure through lawsuits the condition of independent press deteriorated, its few remaining representatives are still fighting for survival. In May 2011 Dunja Mijatovic, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, expressed her dissatisfaction with the response of the authorities of Azerbaijan to her questions in connection with the termination of broadcasting radio "Voice of America", "Liberty" and the BBC on local frequencies.