EBU Director Praises Public Broadcaster on Creating Educational Platform

The Director General of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Noel Curran, expressed appreciation for the Georgian Public Broadcaster’s initiative to turn its Second Channel into an educational platform.

Curran stressed that the “Georgian First Channel is a vital and valuable member of the European Broadcasting Union, which carries on working in a tough time for Europe, unprecedented since World War II.”

Turning the Second Channel into an educational platform is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education and the Georgian First Channel. Multifold media platforms (the web portal 1tv.ge, youtube and Facebook pages of the Georgian First Channel) are being used for the implementation of the project. The launching of the project is directly related to the hardships coming as a result of the current coronavirus pandemic; however, in view of its importance, the project shall continue after the crisis ends.

“During this period we have seen the imperative role of public media throughout Europe. The size of the media audiences has increased substantially. This shows that we are being trusted as an independent news outlet and people know that we are not here to make money. We are not commercial entities, we have a different set of obligations to the public,” Noel Curran said.

“The Georgian Public Broadcaster’s initiative to convert its Second Channel into an educational platform is a genuinely innovative move, and I absolutely applaud and recommend it. We will get through this. I think the relationship of public service media with the public will come forward amid this horrendous crises,” Curran added.

Watch the video here

By Elene Dzebisashvili