Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association and Transparency International Georgia comment on the amendments to the Law on Broadcasting.  "We believe, such fundamental legislative changes, which are not driven by the need to bring the Law on Broadcasting in compliance with the constitution, should not be adopted in a rush. Instead, a broad public debate should take place on this issue". For full text  Source:transparency.ge

Guria. The Civil Society Institute has organized a meeting for the local CSOs and journalists in the "Young Scientists' Club" of Ozurgeti. The meeting aimed at holding the discussion on the relations between the CSOs and media. Meeting participants have discussed the need of the right communication strategies of CSOs and the role of the civil society sector.

Imereti. Members of the Kutaisi Youth Center have delivered on September 27 the peers' education training in social media for the schoolchildren of the Kutaisi Public School #21. The training aimed to develop the knowledge and skills in social media among the schoolchildren. Peer education trainings were organized as part of the "Advancing National Integration in Georgia" (ANI) Project, implemented by the United Nations Association of Georgia (UNAG), with the support of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Tbilisi. September 26 the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics held the presentation of the preliminary results of the pre-election media monitoring carried out within the period of September 2-15, 2013. With the financial backing of Open Society Georgia Foundation since September 2 the Charter, in partnership with MEMO 98 has been monitoring six TV Channels. The monitors taking part in the survey focused on the extent of balance, accuracy, selection of topics, hate speech and sequence of stories. Moreover, the survey implies the analysis of the airtime devoted to each candidate government representative. Within the framework of the project the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics will release three interim reports and ultimately final findings to imply recommendations for the media outlets under monitoring. pre-election media monitoring report (September 2-15, 2013) Source:qartia.org.ge

Tbilisi. Internews-Georgia launches a project called "Regional Media Monitoring- Presidential Elections 2013.” The project is being carried out within the framework of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems’ (IFES) project "Increase Trust in the Electoral Process” funded by USAID.The project implies monitoring of the newscasts and talk-shows of 12 regional TV-broadcasters. The monitoring starts on September 16, 2013 and will be realized including  November 10, 2013. For full text Source:media.ge

Tbilisi. On September 20, 2013 GYLA’s Media Legal Defense Center held a meeting and discussed regulations restricting photo-video recording at the polling place on the Election Day. At the meeting, participants have discussed resolution#42 of the Central Election Commission of September 24, 2012 about imposing restrictions on photo-video recording at the polling place on the Election Day. In addition, GMLDC submitted the results of the implemented inquiry  among the journalists.  Representatives from international organizations, NGOs, the Central Election Commission, legislative branch and media attended the event. Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. GYLA Media Legal Defense Center will protect Giorgi Baratashvili’s interests in a court. On September 6, 2013 Giorgi Baratashvili, the general director of the Public Broadcaster was dismissed from the office on the basis of announced distrust from the Board of Trustees.  "It should be noted that none of the employees should be dismissed from the post without sufficient grounds, not to mention general director of the public broadcaster. We regret that the Board of Trustees makes the similar decision already the second time". For full text  Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Media Legal Protection Center of the Georgian Young Lawyers Association responded to insulting comments made by an employee of the Adjara Autonomous Republic Supreme Council Press-Service Koba Adeishvili towards newspaper Batumelebi. GYLA calls on the Adjara Autonomous Republic Supreme Council to timely respond to the given fact. "Public authorities are obliged to respect profession of journalist, his role and importance in a democratic society.  In case if actions by a certain journalist are unacceptable to them the opposition position must be expressed within the legislation norms concerning public authorities,” the statement circulated by the Media Legal Protection Center reads.   Source:media.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia released a new report - "The introduction of digital terrestrial TV in Georgia: Moving forward”. This document is meant to provide input and recommendations to the Georgian government for the next steps in the process to replace analogue terrestrial television with digital terrestrial television by 17 June 2015. Report  Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. MDF calls on law enforcers to study statements by Expressnews head.  "thy are calling me from hidden numbers categorically requesting for me to erase the news about Maia Panjikidze circulated by Expressnews.  After I categorically refuse to do so they threaten to break my hands and cut my head off,” Irakli Managadze wrote on his timeline in Facebook".  MDF calls on law enforcing bodies to show interest to journalist’s information and "to immediately react to them; in order to prevent pressure on media and to protect physical safety of journalists". For full text Source:media.ge

Tbilisi. GYLA Media Legal Defense Center Reacts on the Developments in the Public Broadcaster of Georgia. "Adoption of a decision from the side of the Board of Trustees of the Public Broadcaster (or any other agency), if it is not in line with Georgian legislation and evokes doubts on its political motives is always inadmissible, especially in pre-election period. Further, interference in the activities of the Board of the Public Broadcaster in a given form is absolutely impermissible, notwithstanding the lawfulness of its conduct", says the statement. For full text Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia released a blog post - "GPB’s Chairman should report to Parliament, explain how to resolve Public Broadcaster’s ongoing crisis”. "We recommend the Parliament of Georgia to invite the Chairman of the Board in the coming days, to facilitate a broad discussion and to request a report on the situation at the Public Broadcaster and on how the Board plans to move the GPB out of the current crisis", says blog post. For full text Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia, Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI), Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) and International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) released a statement about Georgian Public Broadcaster. "Less than two months ahead the presidential elections, the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB), once again, is at the center of politically charged allegations and developments. We believe it is of key importance for the GPB to provide a forum for political debates in the pre-election period where the candidates can present their programs and face the professional scrutiny of reporters. This will allow viewers to make an informed decision about who deserves their vote", says the statement. For full text  Souce:transparency.ge  

Tbilisi. September 4, representative of 5 TV Companies have signed the Pre-election  Code of Conduct of the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics. Those were: the Georgian Public broadcaster, Adjara Public Broadcaster, Rustavi 2, Maestro and Imedi TV. According to the Code of Conduct, the TV Companies agree to be in compliance with the ethical standards and to provide balanced coverage of pre-election information.  The project which the Charter of journalistic Ethics and Memo 98, a Slovak media monitoring organization, started before the elections scheduled for October 27, is realized with the financial support of Open Society Georgia. The goal of the project is to aid Georgian media to adequately perform their role and provide objective information regarding the presidential candidates during the pre-elections period. Pre-election  Code of Conduct  (geo) Source:media.ge

Tbilisi. The results of pre-election media monitoring were published on Mediamoitor.ge. The report of July 17 - August 17 covers TV, radio media, print media and online media monitoring.  The pre-election media monitoring is implemented within the framework of the project: "Professional Media for Elections" supported by EU and UNDP. The overall objective of the project is to contribute to transparent, objective and balanced media environment during the Parliamentary and Presidential elections through support of the media monitoring campaign. Media Monitoring reports Source:mediamonitor.ge

Tbilisi. GYLA’s Media Legal Defense Center responds to the information released by "Tabula”. According to the information released on the web-page of the TV Company "Tabula”, on August 24, 2013 while recording police raids in Tbilisi, Patrol Police stopped Giorgi Sikharulidze, the journalist from "Tabula”. As Tabula reports, Police abused the journalist verbally, searched him and destroyed the filmed video. ...We call on the Ministry of Interior to refrain from releasing general statements and to respond in details whether police actions were carried out in terms of Giorgi Sikharulidze or not. If the Ministry confirms the fact, we ask to specify the measures, envisaged by the legislation, that were implemented by the police and factual circumstances for applying the measures. As reported, information released by the journalist contains signs of alleged offence. When there is information on alleged offence of the police, investigation should be carried out by the General Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia. This is explicit requirement of the Georgian legislation and we appeal the Prosecutor’s Office to express interest to the information". For full text  Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Media Advocacy Coalition released a statement regarding Ninth Channel and Info 9. "Media Advocacy Coalition shares the reasoning of the alienation of Ninth Channel and Info 9. At the same time we, as an organization defending the rights of media, are resented by the perspective of selling the channel under force-majeure conditions, as we see the danger that the TV Company may go to a person with political interests and become a weapon of propaganda. Such decision will directly damage both the media pluralism and media market", says media.ge For full text Source:media.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia released a blog post -  "Broadcasters’ revenues decline in the first months of 2013”. TI Georgia information received from the Georgian National Communication Commission (GNCC). For full text Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Media Development Foundation released a statement regarding Story of Kronika from August 1. "Media Advocacy Coalition expresses indignation over the story featured on August 1 in the 8 o’clock newscast of Imedi TV, which suggest a religious motive to be behind the murder of Mariam Kochalidze in Batumi. Without any verification, the editorial staff spreads the statement of Mariam Kochalidze’s mother, that the killer had allegedly made a sacrifice of her daughter. The fact is welcoming that Imedi TV responded on August 2 to the appeal of Georgian Muslims’ Union, which called upon media outlets to refrain from the circulation of unverified, one-sided information, that incited to the formation of hatred and negative stereotypes towards Islam", says the statement. For full text Source:media.ge

Tbilisi. Representatives of Media Advocacy Coalition’s member organization held a meeting on July 2, with the Prosecutor General of Georgia Archil Kbilashvili. One of the main issues discussed during the meeting were uninvestigated cases of significant violations with regard to media representatives over the recent years, and reasons behind the procrastination of the case filed by the Founder of Rustavi 2. For full text Source:media.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia released a blog post - "The TV station of ‘victorious people’: The story of Rustavi 2". "Rustavi 2 has been at the center of Georgian politics and shaping public perceptions for more than a decade. Today, the ownership of the country’s largest private media outlet – last year, it reported revenues of GEL 30.7 million and accounted for about 32 out of every 100 minutes Georgians spend in front of their TV set – remains disputed", says the blog post. For full text Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. 1st August, 2103 - Gerard A. Fischer, the Interim Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia, and Boris Iarochevitch, Chargé d'Affaires of the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia announced the launch of a  Special Prize for Peace Journalism in the framework of the EU Prize for Journalism.The Prize seeks to recognise and reward conflict-sensitive journalistic work, empowering reporters to cover conflict situations constructively. The EUMM Peace Journalism Prize will be awarded for one of the best balanced and unbiased articles in print or online media; television or radio reports; web-pages, blogs or social media initiatives; news agency or online newspaper contributions.The awarded journalist will be provided with an attractive fellowship allowing him or her to participate in the Caucasus programme at the headquarters of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) in London. The programme is entitled "Building Bridges/Building Capacity: Conflict Prevention in the South Caucasus.” For full text Source:media.ge