I. Introduction This master’s thesis represents study of female newspaper and magazine editors in Azerbaijan based on Western and Soviet definitions of journalism with explanation of local national features of this p

Table 6. Selected characteristics of female editors

Editor	Years of experience	Position	Newspaper/Magazine
A.S	31	editor	Xalq Cebhesi daily
A.X.	21	editor	Tibb biweekly
F.X	40	department editor	Azerbaijan daily
F.X	20	editor	Yol magazine monthly
N.Y.	17	ex-editor	freelancer
I.T.	33	editor	Edalet daily
M.H.	39	editor	Vyshka daily
N.M.	31	editor	Hurdcun, monthly mag.
N.X.	41	editor	Gancabasar weekly
R.S.	41	editor	Gancanin sesi biweekly
S.A.	15^31	editor	Baki Xeber daily
S.S,	19	editor	Hefte ici, daily
T.B.	14	editor	Yenilesen Azerbaycan weekly
U.X	12	editor	Milli Maclis mag. bimonthly
X.B.	16	editor	Uc noqte daily

Azerbaijani media can be generally divided in six categories: independent, semi-independent, oppositional, governmental, technical and extortionist. Female editors that work in government newspapers and magazines are highly trained and very experienced media professionals that in their majority have the old Soviet journalistic education. Prevailing postulate of government newspapers remained untouched by the breakdown of the Communist Party and the USSR. With a slight change of decorations it entered our days while in essence staying the same – devotion to the line of the ruling political regime and party.

Newspapers that fall under oppositional category, not represented in our current research, employ editors possessing variable educational background with journalistic one being a rare exception. Working in an oppositional newspaper means that editor, as well as any journalist must share ideas by sponsoring political party and be prepared to engage in smear campaigns against authorities as well as against rival political actors.
The semi-independent newspapers represent the most peculiar type of media outlets. This category holds newspapers that can be categorized as transitional between independent and politically biased. Even though officially newspapers in this category belong neither to government agencies or ruling party nor to oppositional parties in reality these papers through cobweb of under-the-counter financial relationships, cronyism or nepotism are connected with one of the opposing camps. Editors of semi-independent newspapers are usually media professionals hired to do specific job and keep newspaper attractive to the reader. Semi-independent newspapers always follow political attitudes of their owner and can swing their policy 180 degrees from critical stance towards Azerbaijani political reality to absolute conformity.
The third category unites editors of independent newspapers. Editors in this category are usually identical to publisher and act as pragmatics since independents cannot rely on sponsorship of a political actor and are dependable on newspaper sales and advertisement. (Valiyev 2008). That is why content of the newspapers, especially related to politics is produced as factual and balanced since editors guard their newspapers from fines and lawsuits.
The fourth category, not represented in our research, is represented by newspapers and magazines that are technical, scientific or devoted to some specific issue. Editors of technical press usually have education and experience background in a specific area of knowledge that they cover in their newspaper or magazine. These media outlets usually cover politics only in limited, related to their topic amount.
The last category is presented by extortionist journalism. Usually newspapers in this category are one man-show where publisher, editor and journalist are all the same person. Such “journalists” thrive on multiple law deviations committed by government officials, agencies, companies and firms. After finding out such fact these people contact respective actors and demand that unless they are paid they will publish the information (Valiyev 2008)