Tbilisi. The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics publishes a handbook for covering children issues. ''Coverage of a child is unconditionally necessary when s/he is a victim of violence/crime. Consent of a guardian does not exempt a journalist from responsibility. S/he should personally evaluate negative consequences that identification of a child may entail''', - is stated on the website of the Charter. Read more... Source:www.qartia.ge

Tbilisi. According to the statement published by the "Georgian Democracy Initiative”, the Board of Advisors of the Public Broadcaster of Adjara TV, with its own decision, challenged one of the grounds for declaring distrust to the Director. "According to the legislation, the Board of Advisors of the LEPL Public Broadcaster of Adjara TV and Radio is obliged to publicize last year report, accompanied with an external audit report, and to submit it to the Supreme Council of Adjara before April 1. The Board publicized the 2018 report on April 1, while it reviewed the external audit report today, on April 25, after it declared distrust to the Director of the TV Company. As a matter of fact, one of the grounds for declaring distrust was financial violations”, - is noted in the statement, - "Media Advocacy Coalition considers that the decision of the Board of Advisors of the Public Broadcaster of Adjara TV of today entails further more questions in regard to legal grounds for declaring distrust to the Director of the TV Company”. Read more… Source:https://www.gdi.ge

Tbilisi. Rustavi 2 TV channel broadcasted an investigative documentary Studio Monitor and Radio Liberty produced. The documentary "Judges in the Government’s Service” followed up on the government’s attemptedconfiscation of Constanta Bank from its founders in 2011. It further hinted at alleged misconduct by the prosecutors and judges. CRRC-Georgia conducted a follow-up phone survey to find out whether and how the public viewed the documentary. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia publishes a joint statement of the CSOs about Natia Kapanadze’s impeachment. ''We negatively assess the decision of Council of Advisors of the Ajara TV and Radio of a Public Broadcaster to dismiss TV Director Natia Kapanadze prematurely. It is regrettable that the Council of Advisors shared the controversial arguments raised by the initiators of the impeachment and did not take into account the progress made by the station under Natia Kapanadze directorship which had been reflected in various reports issued by the local and international organizations, including the OSCE/ODIHR Election observation mission and ''Human Rights Watch'', is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: www.transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Supreme Court recognized a cassation complaint of ''Public Broadcaster'' inadmissible, which fact resulted in eventual completion of the dispute, ongoing between Ekaterine Mishveladze and ''Public Broadcaster'' during three years. Interests of Eka Mishveladze were defended by GYLA. ''Courts of all three instances concluded that ''Public Broadcaster'' dismissed Ekaterine Mishveladze from her job unlawfully'', - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Media Development Foundation publishes a study: Government trolls against TBC, NGOs and media. The purpose of the study is to identify government trolls and inform public about campaigns carried out by them against individual groups. ''Troll is a person who acts in the online space without indicating any real identity and aims at hindering healthy discussions among users on different websites, forums and social networks'', - is stated in the document. Read more… Source:mdfgeorgia.ge

Tbilisi. ''Transparency International Georgia'' has studied issues related to ownership of influential televisions operating in the country. The study, which mainly covers the period from 2014 and onwards, along with the identity of broadcasters, reveals their possible business connections and interests on the background of a politicized and polarized media environment. Read more... Source:The website of the organization

Georgia. On March 14-15, 2019, a three-day meeting of the Open Governance Permanent Council of the Parliament of Georgia and its consultative group was carried out. Chairmen of parliamentary committees, representatives of civil society and international organizations conducted a discussion regarding implementation of the 2018-2019 Action Plan of the Open Parliament and reviewed the strategy of the Parliament of Georgia on issues related to Sustainable Development Goals. At the end of the three-day meeting, on March 16, there was held a seminar for journalists, which was attended by 22 representatives of print, broadcast and online media. Members of the Open Governance Parliamentary Council presented achievements of Georgia in the field of open governance to journalists and answered their questions regarding obtained success and existing challenges. The event was carried out with the support of the European Union (EU), United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI). Read more… Source:https://idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The Coalition for "Media Advocacy” responds to one part of a letter published by the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia on March 6, 2019, which touches upon televisions. "We, member organizations of the Coalition for "Media Advocacy”, will be monitoring further evolution of developments around TV Companies – "TV Pirveli” and "Artarea” attentively. Besides, we call on the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia to investigate facts of possible pressure on means of media with special attention and conduct investigation in the shortest possible time, effectively, in a way to give complete answers to all questions existing within the society”, - is noted in the released statement. Read more… Source:https://gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics releases a statement regarding coverage of a case on murder of the Smith family. ''The Charter recommends means of media to treat this case and planned trials with the sense of responsibility. To give preference to fact-oriented coverage instead of sensation, excessive attention. To appraise received information critically in order to not become victims of manipulation and a tool of parties for spreading desired information'', - is noted in the statement of the Charter. Read more... Source:qartia.ge

Tbilisi. Representatives of an organization ''Partnership for Human Rights'' (PHR) conducted a training for journalists at the Charter of Journalistic Ethics, which was related to coverage of issues about children in conflict with law. Lawyers of PHR provided participants of the training with information regarding coverage of a crime in which juvenile offenders are going to be charged; mistakes that media makes while working on this topic; relevant legislation that exists in Georgia; responsibility that lays upon the government; results that incorrectly prepared materials on this issue entail and factors, to which journalists have to pay their attention. Read more… Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. As a result of legal assistance of the Human Rights Center, 4 plaintiffs out of tens of employees, dismissed from Public Broadcaster, are reinstated to their job via negotiations, on which fact the court ruling has been obtained. ''1 plaintiff has been given cash compensation via negotiations with another party in the amount demanded by him/herself, while on 2 cases the court has made a decision to invalidate the dismissal order and impose payment of a compensation in the amount of 1 year labor remuneration'', - is stated on the website of the organization in a social network. Read more… Source:The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. ''We wish you health, especially in Georgia'' - is a documentary film made in regard to a healthcare topic by ''Liberty Monitor'' and Studio ''Monitor'' through the support of the Open Society Foundations Network Program. The purpose of the film is to review problems existing in the policy, financing and system of healthcare and to initiate discussions. ''Liberty Monitor'' is a series of investigative coverages that ''Radio Liberty'' creates together with Studio ''Monitor''. Read more... Source: osgf.ge

Tbilisi. According to decision of the board of the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics, Irakli Chikhladze and Tamar Gogesashvili, journalists of TV Company "Imedi”, breached two principles of the Charter. ''The controversial story was broadcasted on air on December 23 and touched upon both the murder of US citizens in the Khada Gorge and the accused in the case. The spokesperson considered that in the disputable material the accused was declared guilty while the court decision regarding the case did not yet exist'', - is stated on the website of the Charter. Read more… Source:qartia.ge

Tbilisi. ''Transparency International Georgia'' calls on the management of Public Broadcaster to not worsen social or labor conditions of those employed. ''Intention of the management, which will practically reduce salaries or abolish social benefits of employees, is inappropriate practice and, on the one hand, contradicts the essence and goal of the accumulative pension reform, while on the other hand, worsens labor conditions of employees of Public Broadcaster'', - is noted in the statement. Read more… Source:The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. The Caucasus Research Resource Center (CRRC) and East-West Management Institute, within the framework of an ACCESS project, have conducted a study: Anti-Western discourse in Georgian social media. ''Within the framework of the study CRRC has analyzed posts, comments, reactions and shared information of up to 70 Facebook pages and groups. Results show how increasing the number of anti-Western groups in social media is, what sources they use, what their tone is while talking about the West and Russia'', - is stated on the website of the organization in a social network. Read more… Source:The website of the organization in a social network