Azernews.Az

Today marks the 105th anniversary of the Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC), Azernews reports.

Founded on March 1, 1920, by the government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, AZERTAC is the country’s first national news agency. On March 2 of that year, the agency published its first news articles under the AzerTac signature in the newspaper Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, AZERTAC, a legacy of the Republic, survived as an independent news source for just 58 days.

Following the collapse of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the agency operated as a branch of the Soviet Union Telegraph Agency (SITA) and underwent seven name changes over 70 years, facing significant restrictions. Nevertheless, the agency remained steadfast in fulfilling its historical mission.

With the restoration of Azerbaijan’s independence, AZERTAC reclaimed its historical name. From March 3, 1995, it became the State Telegraph Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers. On January 17, 2000, it was renamed the Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency, and on February 26, 2015, by a decree from President Ilham Aliyev, it became the Azerbaijan State Information Agency (AZERTAC).

AZERTAC’s journey has been challenging, especially in its early years when the agency’s technical base was minimal. In 1932, the agency installed its first teletypewriter, a "Kleinschmidt" typewriter imported from abroad.

A turning point came in 1969 with the political leadership of Heydar Aliyev, which led to a renaissance in all spheres of Azerbaijan’s life. During the 1970s, as SITA began computerizing its head office in Moscow, “Azerinform” (as AZERTAC was then known) received modern "Videoton" and "Olivetti" computers in recognition of Aliyev’s leadership.

The last 22 years under President Ilham Aliyev’s leadership have been a transformative period for AZERTAC. The agency has experienced a qualitative leap in news broadcasting, equipped with modern technology and operating in a state-of-the-art building for over three years. Today, AZERTAC broadcasts in eight languages, including Azerbaijani, English, Russian, German, French, Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish, and provides video news in five languages—making it a first in the region. AZERTAC is now a globally recognized, reliable, and impartial news source, delivering Azerbaijan’s truths to every corner of the world.