EU & UNDP Release First Findings of Election Media Monitoring

Election findings were presented at a press conference on 25 October where the European Union (EU) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) unveiled the interim reports of the ongoing media monitoring of 2018 Presidential Elections in Georgia.

Negative coverage of election candidates is becoming a common trend in the Georgian media. The amount of hate speech has significantly reduced on televisions but remains a challenge for the print press and some of the online editions. Radios are more likely to show signs of political bias in 2018, compared with the election cycles in previous years.

"Good and diverse media reporting is critical for voters to make an informed choice during elections. The EU's support to media monitoring reflects our commitment to strengthening democracy in Georgia," said Carl Hartzell, Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia.

Munkhtuya Altangerel, UNDP Resident Representative in Georgia, stressed the importance of analytical discussion on the electoral programs: “Media monitoring shows that the professional standard of the Georgian media is increasing with each election. However, we still look forward to seeing in-depth analysis of the electoral programs that would help Georgian voters in casting their votes,” she said.

The 2018 election media monitoring was kicked off on 18 June and will continue until the immediate aftermath of the elections, covering 37 TV, radio, print and online national media outlets. Its interim reports refer to the period of 18 June – 15 October and capture all major trends in election coverage. The final reports will be released in December 2018.

Media monitoring is carried out by the three Georgian civil society organizations – Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics, Internews – Georgia, and the Civic Development Institute (CDI).

The EU and UNDP have been supporting media monitoring in Georgia since 2010, aiming to promote media diversity and build the watchdog functions of civil society, especially at the time of elections. Since the launch of the first media monitoring rounds, this initiative has contributed to media research during the six major elections in Georgia in 2010 – 2017.

The media monitoring reports are available online at: www.mediamonitor.ge