In 2007, an application by AzTV to join the European Broadcasting Union was rejected after the channel was found to be too closely associated with the ruling government.
The choice was not rich: concerts of classical and pop music, feature films, theater performances, interviews on socio-political topics, speeches of labor pioneers were shown, the announcer read short 15-minute news from newspapers.
Since August 1956, Azerbaijani television began to broadcast 5 days a week,[9] and the daily volume of programs was increased to 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Baku residents could watch the film magazines "Soviet Azerbaijan", "Science and Technology", "Foreign Chronicle", "Pioner" on television.
In one of the rooms divided in half, film equipment was installed, and in the other, performances of announcers and small music groups were broadcast.
[12] In 1958, eight-channel equipment was purchased from Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), which was considered a modern technical means for that time, and reconstruction works were started at the television center.
In 1985, Azerbaijan Television reached the 4th place in the USSR due to its technical equipment, film production and appearances on Central TV with various programs.
Among them were Tamara Gözəlova, Nailə Mehdibəyova, Sevda Qənizadə, Sara Manafova, Rəna Nəsirova, Rəxşan Aslanova, Sima Xasıyeva and Nizami Məmmədov.
[14] Later, a generation of talented announcers appeared on television: Roza Tağıyeva, Rafiq Hüseynov, Ofelya Sənani, Şərqiyyə Hüseynova, Sabir Ələsgərov, Hicran Hüseynov, Həqiqət Əsgərova, Natəvan Hacıyeva, Tamilla Ələkbərova, Davud Əhmədov, Gülşən Əkbərova, Nərgiz Cəlilova, Ülkər Quliyeva, Aygül Qaradağlı, Dilarə Səlim, Rafiq Həşimov and others.
In 1961, the launch of powerful television stations in Ganja, Goychay and Shusha made it possible to receive broadcasts from Baku in Goygol, Goranboy, Yevlakh, Mingachevir, Agjabedi and Nagorno-Karabakh.
[17] Increasing the program hours and applying advanced technology in the communication and telecommunication system required the construction of a new TV tower.
Now the programs of Azerbaijani television are broadcast from that station to Europe through "Hot Bird", North America through "Galaxy 25", and Asia through "Azerspace-1" satellites.
Rovshan Mammadov, the Chairman of the Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting Closed Joint-stock Company voiced these views at the next meeting of the Artistic Council.
[20][21] This process, which requires a lot of funds, was carried out according to the order of President Ilham Aliyev on measures to strengthen the material and technical base of Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting Closed Joint Stock Company signed in 2019.
Since it operated under the control of the Communist Party and was not ready for the conflict that began within the USSR, Azerbaijan television could not establish an information policy.
Azerbaijani television aired a short news about the non-stop rallies held by the separatists in Khankendi only 10 days later - with the permission of the government under the name "The situation in Karabakh".
This became possible as a result of the opposition of the AzTV management to the will of Abdurrahman Vazirov, the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan.
The employees of the Azerbaijani television, together with the people, opposed Gorbachev's steps and demanded compliance with the Constitution of Azerbaijan, international legal norms, and the prevention of illegal actions of Armenian separatists.
The emissaries from Moscow promised through Azerbaijani television that the Kremlin would not send troops to Baku and declare a state of emergency.
Announcer Rafig Huseynov, appearing on the air in a black suit and without a tie, expressed his condolences to the people of Azerbaijan regarding the killing of 138 civilians.
After the KKCP in Moscow, President Ayaz Mutallibov lost the support of the Soviet Army, and the transformation of republics into independent states in the post-Soviet space became an unstoppable process.
In 1965, the studio switched to using videotape recording since it became affordable and the quality of their produced shows (including music videos) increased.
As of March 2014[update], 99.96% of the population of Azerbaijan can receive AzTV via terrestrial, cable, or satellite broadcasting, giving it the largest coverage area of any Azerbaijani television channel.