TV ▁is ▁a ▁public ▁television ▁channel ▁in ▁A zer ba ij an . ▁It ▁began ▁broadcast ing ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁after ▁being ▁created ▁by ▁law ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁independent ▁public ▁broad c aster ▁in ▁A zer ba ij an . ▁The ▁channel ▁is ▁based ▁in ▁B aku . ▁▁ İ TV ▁is ▁primarily ▁fund ed ▁through ▁advert ising ▁and ▁government ▁pay ments . ▁The ▁law ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁creating ▁the ▁channel ▁called ▁for ▁fund ing ▁to ▁come ▁from ▁a ▁television ▁lic ence ▁fee , ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁but ▁this ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁law ▁has ▁yet ▁to ▁be ▁implemented . ▁ ▁The ▁channel ▁is ▁operated ▁by ▁the ▁Public ▁Television ▁and ▁Radio ▁Broadcast ing ▁Company ▁( ), ▁which ▁consists ▁of ▁a ▁nine ▁member ▁council , ▁whose ▁members ▁are ▁approved ▁by ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁A zer ba ij an , ▁and ▁a ▁director ▁general ▁elected ▁by ▁the ▁council ▁and ▁also ▁approved ▁by ▁the ▁president . ▁▁ ▁This ▁arrangement , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁continued ▁state ▁finan cing , ▁has ▁been ▁subject ▁to ▁criticism ▁by ▁non - g overn ment al ▁organizations , ▁on ▁the ▁grounds ▁that ▁the ▁channel ▁may ▁be ▁too ▁closely ▁connected ▁to ▁the ▁government ▁to ▁be ▁fully ▁independent ▁and ▁un bi ased . ▁ İ TV ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Broadcast ing ▁Union ▁on ▁ 5 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁allowing ▁it ▁to ▁take ▁part ▁in ▁events