Media and Access to Information
2. Georgian Public Broadcaster
Georgian Public Broadcaster has a significant function of ensuring the availability of in-formation for national minorities living in the country and thus promoting their integration.
Among the general obligations with regards to the content, there is a requirement over en-suring the provision of timely and comprehensive information to the audience concerning important events taking place in Georgia, its regions and worldwide and reflection of the ethnic, cultural, linguistic, religious, age and gender diversity of the community. Congruent to a 2009 December amendment to the law, Public Broadcaster was given a concrete ob-ligation to “create one or more annual regular program in at least 4 languages, including Abkhazian, and Ossetian languages.”
Prior to 2010, Channel 1 of the Public Broadcaster transmitted news programs in Ab-khazian, Ossetian, Azeri and Russian and one program per week was broadcast in each
2010
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minority languages covering all the major events of the week. The result was that the population received outdated information. Besides, the program was broadcast during the day airtime, usually, having the least audience.
A sociological survey ordered by the Public Broadcaster revealed the ineffectiveness of the arrangement. The results of the survey indicate that the airtime was inconvenient for the target audience and the frequency of information unsatisfactory.
Considering the results from the mentioned survey the Broadcaster was reorganized. A change applied to the format, airtime, and frequency of the news programs in the minor-ity languages. In March, 2010 news programs were made and transmitted in Abkhazian, Ossetian, Armenian and Azeri languages daily (with the exception of the weekend). So called “Erovnuli/National Moambe” (National Narrator) was broadcast during night air on Channel 2 and was repeated in the morning air on Channel 1. News program with the duration of 40 minutes was a compilation of Georgian “Moambe”. Ten minutes of informa-tion was given in each language and at least 12-14 features were prepared with durainforma-tion for each feature of less than 1 minute.
In 2010 Public Broadcaster stopped creating Russian language news programs, since from 15th January the same year a new Russian language channel “1st Caucasian” started to be aired through satellite. The goal of the channel is to cover the current events in the region and people living on the territory. Channel prepares news programs as well as analytical programs and social and political talk shows. However, the “1st Caucasian”
stopped broadcasting soon by the decision of the French Company Eutelsat.
Daily broadcast of “National Moambe” is undoubtedly a positive step forward concerning improving access to information for ethnic minorities. This also helps to meet the requirement of 2009 December amendment to the law. However, “National Moambe” needs further de-velopment in terms of format, contents and duration of the feature. From the 10 minute news editions, 12-14 short videos of which creates a kaleidoscope effect and the presenters read texts either too quickly or too monotonously, the viewers will find it difficult to perceive the information. Besides, the airtime is not always stable. The time indicated in the TV programs _ 23:00 on Channel 2 and 7:30 on Channel 1 _ is not always observed which resulted in the decrease of the number of the “National Moambe” audience.
In his 2010 report over the news programs in minority languages, the Public Defender noted that in these programs “... less time is devoted to minority communities _ including developments in minority-populated regions. It should be noted that minorities are espe-cially interested in this kind of information.”1
Public Broadcaster has expressed its readiness to include regional reports prepared by regional media in the relevant “National Moambe.” For the purposes, Public Broadcaster plans to provide media training for regional TV journalists and has been seeking relevant donor funding.
minority languages covering all the major events of the week. The result was that the population received outdated information. Besides, the program was broadcast during the day airtime, usually, having the least audience.
A sociological survey ordered by the Public Broadcaster revealed the ineffectiveness of the arrangement. The results of the survey indicate that the airtime was inconvenient for the target audience and the frequency of information unsatisfactory.
Considering the results from the mentioned survey the Broadcaster was reorganized. A change applied to the format, airtime, and frequency of the news programs in the minor-ity languages. In March, 2010 news programs were made and transmitted in Abkhazian, Ossetian, Armenian and Azeri languages daily (with the exception of the weekend). So called “Erovnuli/National Moambe” (National Narrator) was broadcast during night air on Channel 2 and was repeated in the morning air on Channel 1. News program with the duration of 40 minutes was a compilation of Georgian “Moambe”. Ten minutes of informa-tion was given in each language and at least 12-14 features were prepared with durainforma-tion for each feature of less than 1 minute.
In 2010 Public Broadcaster stopped creating Russian language news programs, since from 15th January the same year a new Russian language channel “1st Caucasian” started to be aired through satellite. The goal of the channel is to cover the current events in the region and people living on the territory. Channel prepares news programs as well as analytical programs and social and political talk shows. However, the “1st Caucasian”
stopped broadcasting soon by the decision of the French Company Eutelsat.
Daily broadcast of “National Moambe” is undoubtedly a positive step forward concerning improving access to information for ethnic minorities. This also helps to meet the requirement of 2009 December amendment to the law. However, “National Moambe” needs further de-velopment in terms of format, contents and duration of the feature. From the 10 minute news editions, 12-14 short videos of which creates a kaleidoscope effect and the presenters read texts either too quickly or too monotonously, the viewers will find it difficult to perceive the information. Besides, the airtime is not always stable. The time indicated in the TV programs _ 23:00 on Channel 2 and 7:30 on Channel 1 _ is not always observed which resulted in the decrease of the number of the “National Moambe” audience.
In his 2010 report over the news programs in minority languages, the Public Defender noted that in these programs “... less time is devoted to minority communities _ including developments in minority-populated regions. It should be noted that minorities are espe-cially interested in this kind of information.”1
Public Broadcaster has expressed its readiness to include regional reports prepared by regional media in the relevant “National Moambe.” For the purposes, Public Broadcaster plans to provide media training for regional TV journalists and has been seeking relevant donor funding.
1 A Public Defender’s Report on Protection of Human Rights and Freedom in Georgia, 2010
Another positive step towards ensuring access to information for ethnic minorities in 2010 was broadcasting of “National Moambe” in minority languages on regional TV channels.
Public Broadcaster cannot completely cover Kvemo Kartli and Samtskhe-Javakheti re-gions. Accordingly, the news programs prepared in minority languages do not reach part of the target audience. To eliminate this drawback, from March 2010, the Public Broad-caster started transmitting news in minority languages through regional TV channels cov-ering the areas densely populated by the Abkhazians, Ossetians, Azeris and Armenians.
Specifically, in Samtskhe-Javakheti news program in Armenian language was transmitted through Akhalkalaki TV station “ATV 12”, in Kvemo Kartli in Azerbaijani language through
“Marneuli TV”, in Abkhaz language through Zugdidi “Odishi” and in Ossetian language, through “Trialeti TV”. The regional channels are granted the right to repeat the information the next day. “Moambe” was also broadcast in Armenian language through Ninotsminda TV Channel “Parvana”. The retranslation was financed by the local council. In Ossetian language “Moambe” was broadcast in the evening air by Chiatura “Imervizia,” too.
Despite the aforementioned, in accordance with the Ombudsman’s report: “on many oc-casions, Kvemo Kartli and Samtskhe-Javakheti residents as well as most representatives of local non-governmental and governmental organizations are not aware of the daily news programs transmitted by the Public Broadcaster in minority languages on regional and national TV channels”2.
In a 2010 report by the Public Broadcaster broadening the broadcast in the languages of national minorities “at the expense of increasing the number of the local TV stations”3 was defined as one of the priority. However, no action has been taken so far to improve the coverage through local TV stations apart from the partner TV channels listed above. Public Broadcaster’s authorities state that there are financial and technical problems hampering the implementation of the objective. The technical means by which the partner regional television are provided with news programs in minority languages (so called, “flyweight”) is very expensive. In the presence of relevant technical support (so called, FTP server) it would be possible to provide news programs to more regional televisions at a lower price.
To obtain financing for the technical support for the expansion of distribution area, public broadcaster has been prepared a project to be submitted to donors in 2011.
In a 2009 report by the Public Broadcaster, a recommendation is given concerning pro-gram priorities for 2009-2010 air time: “the interests of the population from the regions densely populated by ethnic minorities be considered and major part of the program products are translated into the appropriate languages and placed in the airtime of the local broadcasting stations”4. This recommendation adopted more of a concrete form, and in 2010 report one of the priorities defined for the same year was: “Dubbing of the edu-cational and cultural products produced by the Public Broadcaster (no less than 2 products in each season) into languages used in Georgia and transmitting them through regional network”5. This activity was not fulfilled due to the lack of funds. To obtain financing for translation and dubbing their products in minority languages the public broadcaster in 2011 prepared a project proposal to be submitted to donors.
2010
2 A Public Defender’s Report on Protection of Human Rights and Freedom in Georgia, 2010
3 A report by Public Broadcaster, 2010.
4 A report by Public Broadcaster, 2010.
5 A report by Public Broadcaster, 2010.
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There were three TV bridges arranged by Georgian and Azerbaijani public broadcasters in 2010. The TV Bridges were organized by minority languages broadcasting unit. The discussions focused on cooperation of the two countries in NGO sector, tourism develop-ment, and economic ties.