Monday, December 8, 2025

One unquoted word created crisis in Georgian media

Imedi grabbed onto the word 'legally', ignoring the correction from GHN. The segment was headlined "Ivanishvili's statement: 'Legal Russian aggression'". (Screengrab from Imedi.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – A report sent out by a Georgian news agency led to controversy Tuesday.

GHN’s report said that after Russia became involved in the war in South Ossetia on August 8, 2008, it legally brought military equipment into the region.

This report was read

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Georgians get more TV channels, temporarily

In most of Georgia, the news monopoly of three strongly pro-government TV channels has been broken, at least for two months. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – The must-carry and must-offer principle is starting to have effect also around Georgia’s different regions.

People living in Kutaisi, Georgia’s second largest city after the capital, report that they are already able to watch Channel 9, Maestro and Kavkazia

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Media regulatory body denies harassment

Zurab Bazghadze, director of marketing and development of Global TV, says the commission which regulates media has made them take certain popular Russian channels off the air, and it may have been done to aid their competitor Silknet, which is closer to the government. (Photo: Mari Nikuradze.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – The media regulatory body in Georgia Thursday said a cable station was trying to politicize the situation in order to divert attention from its own violations.

The body has fined Trialeti TV 5 000 lari (about USD 3 000) for broadcasting on a

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Youth protested against the fining of a TV station

About ten activists stood outside the Georgian National Communication Commission to show support for Trialeti, a regional TV station, which the commission fined USD 3 000. (Photo: Mari Nikuradze.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – Around ten youth activists today protested outside the Georgian National Communication Commission against the fining of a regional television station.

Irakli Beraia, one of the activists, says the fine is an attempt by the government to suppress

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Why newspapers are sold from bicycle stands in Tbilisi

Tbilisi City Hall removed most of the newspaper booths to make way for a new chain of kiosks. The free press in the country is concerned that the independent papers will get blacklisted in City Hall's kiosks, and instead use mobile stands and bibycles to reach the public. (Photo: Mari Nikuradze.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – In the Georgian capital, news hungry citizens can now get their daily update from a bright red bicycle. The reason the new mobile newsstand is hitting the streets is that City Hall has removed many of the old permanent booths.

Since last December, independent

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Want new rules for media watchdog

TBILISI, DFWatch – A civil rights group in Georgia wants a new set of rules to ensure that the country’s media watchdog becomes more independent. Georgian Young Lawyer’s Association (GYLA) last year criticized the present chair of the communications regulatory commission, Irakli Chikovani, for having a conflict of interest. In a study GYLA found that … Read more

Pressured Georgian media reaffirm defense group

TBILISI, DFWatch – Media workers in the former Soviet republic of Georgia met Wednesday to reaffirm their mutual pledge to support eachother in case of harassment from authorities. “The main goal is to fight against illegal actions, protecting each other and solidarity when the media is in trouble,” says Mamuka Glonti, who took the initiative … Read more

Georgians still trust their TV, despite hoax of the century

TBILISI, DFWatch – Time Magazine called it one of the greatest hoaxes in history. But 33% of Georgians still trust the channel that scared them out of their wits. That’s one the findings Eurasian Partnership Foundation’s program called Caucasus Research Resource Centers (CRRC) presented Monday. Internationally it’s called the hoax news, but locally it is … Read more