It was initially launched as a local feed of the defunct Turkish television channel Samanyolu TV on 11 January 2000,[1] being in its current form in 2007, founded by journalist Asaf Hajiyev.
[1] On 7 July 2006, a presentation ceremony of a documentary film on Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev made by STV took place in the Ambassador Hotel in Baku, being broadcast on the channel subsequently.
[6] On 28 December 2006, discussions on closing down certain foreign television channels in Azerbaijan took place,[7] with the action itself being launched in January next year, with Kanal D from Turkey being shut down subsequently.
The National Television and Radio Council urged STV Xazar to cease transmissions and sell its frequency.
[14] Xazar TV inaugurated its new headquarter building in Baku White City on 30 December 2015,[15][16] moving there officially in February 2016.
This came a while after the channel broadcast uncensored footage of the use of tobacco products on the movie Qəlb oğrusu, which violated guidelines according to the National Television and Radio Council.
[26][27] Due to a preventive measure, Xazar TV, alongside its radio sister Araz FM, temporarily suspended operations for eight hours on 9 July 2024.