Censorship is being introduced in Georgia

The Parliament of Georgia has approved amendments to the law on broadcasting in the first reading. Thanks to him, the authorities will be able to put opposition TV channels under control. However, there is no clear opinion in Georgian society as to whether this will be good for the republic or not.

Georgian Dream is going to ban foreign financing of TV channels. The ruling party considered that receiving money from abroad leads to the fact that journalists begin to pursue goals that contradict the national interests of the republic. As an example, the deputies cited the activities of USAID (an organization banned in the Russian Federation).

In addition, journalists will not be allowed to make video or audio recordings in private or public places without the consent of an authorized person. In case of non-compliance with the requirements, the broadcaster will first receive a warning, then a fine, and eventually a license to operate will be revoked altogether. An exception will be made only in cases where unauthorized work is justified by a high public interest. However, the journalists will have to prove it.

The media will also be required to observe “factual accuracy” and be “impartial.” According to the Georgian Dream bill, TV channels “must adequately represent all alternative opinions” and “avoid distorting facts or opinions and misinterpreting conflicting opinions.”

It is noteworthy that so far we have been talking about other types of media. However, on March 3, Archil Gorduladze, head of the Georgian Parliament’s Legal Committee, said that although the amendments to the law do not apply to online and print media, “work in this direction can be continued.”

“Our changes do not apply to newspapers, they do not apply to online media, and this is also a problem. With the development of modern technologies, alternative sources of information dissemination have emerged, and the flow of information coming from various platforms or from various online platforms is a source of information for most of society, and we can continue to work on regulating this issue,” Gorduladze said.

Anyway, Georgian Dream believes that only those for whom slander and disinformation have become the norm can worry about the introduction of restrictions on the media. “The fact is that foreign financing of the media contributes to the spread of disinformation, slander and the development of a narrative full of political manipulation,” said Rati Ionatamishvili, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights.

In turn, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili equated “dozens of Georgian media outlets” to non-governmental organizations that use social media to spread hostile propaganda.

“Through agitation, as well as the dissemination of disinformation and fake news, these media companies reinforce the narrative of a foreign propaganda network. They are created and funded solely for this purpose, although they disguise themselves as “independent” and “private” media… Activist journalism is just an oxymoron. Ultimately, this harms the citizen, who is deprived of the right to receive news objectively and instead hears diverse propaganda. Ultimately, this undermines democratic pluralism and becomes a disaster that is already being felt not only in Georgia, but throughout the world,” Papuashvili said.

Georgia has three well-known opposition TV channels: Mtavari Archi (Main Channel), Pirveli (First Channel) and Formula. They are associated with former or current members of Mikhail Saakashvili’s United National Movement. At the same time, in February, Mtavari Archi announced the cessation of live broadcasts due to financial problems.

“First of all, the Georgian Dream wants to strike at critical media. Mtawari is in the most vulnerable position, as its investors are currently in conflict with each other. On the other hand, the bill is drafted in such a way that pro-government TV channels will also have to review their editorial policies.… Although it is hard to believe in indiscriminate punishment,” political analyst Nika Chitadze told NG.

According to the expert, about 10 years ago, pro-government TV channels provided a rostrum to the opposition and held debates with their participation. However, there has been nothing like this lately, so watching them has become less interesting than before. “It is possible that the ultimate goal of the Georgian Dream is the complete eradication of any dissent,” Chitadze warned.

Political scientist Petre Mamradze holds the opposite opinion. “Since 2008, I have never been invited to any opposition TV channel, because they perfectly understand that my point of view does not coincide with their editorial policy. The pro-government media, on the contrary, give the floor to the opposition. Another thing is that, for example, Imedi forms the information agenda in such a way as to point out to viewers the negative sides of the opponents of the Georgian Dream. But at the same time, the TV channel is not lying, everything is really like that and gives the oppositionists the opportunity to defend themselves,” the expert told NG.

In this regard, Mamradze hopes that the law on television and radio broadcasting will improve the situation in the Georgian media, including stopping the flow of lies and misinformation.