[schedule still in process; will be completed on Thursday]
 
Photo, left: Baku 1900
 
JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW
 
Co-hosts: Malcolm Hoenlein, Conference of Presidents.
 
EL AL MIDDLE EAST REPORT, special edition from Baku, Azerbaijan.
Hour One
Wednesday   17 May 2017  / Hour 1, Block A:  Hikmat Hajiyev, Spokesperson, Head of Press Services, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Azerbaijan; in re:
Wednesday   17 May 2017  / Hour 1, Block B:  Hikmat Hajiyev, Spokesperson, Head of Press Services, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Azerbaijan; in re:
Wednesday   17 May 2017  / Hour 1, Block C:  Elgum Safarov
Wednesday   17 May 2017  / Hour 1, Block D:  Etibar Najafov, Chief Adviser on Multiculturalism, Ethnic and Religious Affairs in the Presidential Administration
 
EL AL MIDDLE EAST REPORT, special edition from Baku, Azerbaijan.
Hour Two
Wednesday   17 May 2017  / Hour 2, Block A:  Hikmat Hajiyev, Spokesperson, Head of Press Services, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Azerbaijan; in re: Oil from Baku was central in running Soviet vehicles during WWII; in fact, it won the war for the Red Army, was significant in thwarting Hitler and Germany. Azerbaijan is an oil-rich nation which is actively diversifying its economy. The state provides good and effective management and education on different energy resources; speaks of transforming “black gold” into, in effect, human gold: a highly-educated, independent and entrepreneurial population.
Wednesday   17 May 2017  / Hour 2, Block B:  Azer Khaliyev, Director-General of Caspian International Broadcasting Company, in re:  CIBC serves primarily as a Russian broadcasting unit to disseminate Russia  to Russia and other neighbors.  Many listeners in Armenia who indicate their approval via social media – and despite the present antagonisms over Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan broadcasts one channel in Armenian language, as well as in Farsi (one-third of Iran's population is thought to be of Azeri descent.)  Not interested in covering Trump. Russian influence is noticeable; shares a frontier with Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is mostly secular with rich differences of cultures and languages. Demand for CIBC programming is rapidly growing inside of Azerbaijan; goal is to broadcast culture and ideas of Azerbaijan to the world.
Wednesday   17 May 2017  / Hour 2, Block C:  Brenda Shaffer, visiting researcher and adjunct professor at Georgetown University, Fellow with the Atlantic Council and professor at University of Haifa; in re: recap as the host and co-host are about to head for Jerusalem. Azerbaijan has succeeded in creating a healthy, stable nation rapidly; being modern while proud of its Muslim heritage, and a beacon of independence in a turbulent neighborhood, it stands in contrast to Iran, which thereby feels threatened.  Iran and Saudi Arabia struggle for regional hegemony.  Positive features of Azerbaijan are widely unknown worldwide; support in the form of more attention, press and broadcasting would be quite helpful to a friendly nation that stands at a major crossroads of cultures for several millennia.  The international system tends to reward terrorists, who draw much attention, rather than rewarding good-citizen nations. (1 of 2)
Wednesday   17 May 2017  / Hour 2, Block D:  Brenda Shaffer, visiting researcher and adjunct professor at Georgetown University, Fellow with the Atlantic Council and professor at University of Haifa (2 of 2)
 
Hour Three
Wednesday   17 May 2017  /Hour 3, Block A:  Timothy Snyder. Black Earth (Part III of VI) (segment 5 of 12)
Wednesday   17 May 2017  /Hour 3, Block B:  Timothy Snyder. Black Earth (Part III of VI) (segment 6 of 12)
Wednesday   17 May 2017  /Hour 3, Block C:  Elliot Abrams. Tested by Zion (part II of II) (segment 3 of 4)
Wednesday   17 May 2017  /Hour 3, Block D:  Elliot Abrams. Tested by Zion (part II of II) (segment 4 of 4)
 
Hour Four
Wednesday   17 May 2017  /Hour 4, Block A:  David Pietrusza, 1932. Part III of VI
Wednesday   17 May 2017  /Hour 4, Block B:  David Pietrusza, 1932. Part III of VI
Wednesday   17 May 2017  /Hour 4, Block C:  David Crist. The Twilight War (part II of II) (segment 3 of 4)
Wednesday   17 May 2017  /Hour 4, Block D:  David Crist. The Twilight War (part II of II) (segment 4 of 4)