Discussion on Challenges Faced by TV Broadcasters in the Run Up to the 2016 Elections in Georgia

Media Advocacy Coalition Hosted a Round Table to Discuss

Challenges Faced by TV Broadcasters in the Run Up to the 2016 Elections in Georgia

Media Advocacy Coalition negatively assesses the shutdown of Imedi TV talk shows and shares the spirit of the statements made by non-governmental organizations on this issue. The Coalition believes that recent developments on TV Company Rustavi 2 and earlier on Maestro TV undermine media pluralism in Georgia, and indicate to the risk of media freedom restriction in the run up to 2016 Elections. The coalition also believes that the public has no comprehensive information on the changes in the media environment.

On September 4, 2015, the Coalition brought together representatives of media, non-governmental organizations, the Ombudsman, Members of Georgian National Communications Commission, diplomatic corps and international organizations to share variety of opinions on the latest challenges and to evaluate the status of media environment in Georgia.