MASS MEDIA AS AN INSTRUMENT OF THE STATE'S FOREIGNPOLICY POSITIONING: THE CASE OF AZERBAIJAN

The article examines the role of mass media and digital communication as institutional mechanisms of foreign-policy positioning in contemporary states. It argues that in a mediatized and networked international environment, foreign policy is implemented not only through traditional diplomatic channels but also through global media spaces in which state images, reputations, and interpretive frames of foreign-policy actions are constructed. The theoretical framework combines the concepts of symbolic power, the public sphere, soft power, and the network society. Using Azerbaijan in 2024-2025 as a case study, the article analyzes practices of media diplomacy, including state news agencies, international media forums, and the digital public communication of political leadership. It concludes that mass media and digital platforms operate as a structural component of foreign policy, enabling states to maintain a stable international image and compete in the global arena of interpretations.