Report: Georgian Media Making Progress in Pre-Election Coverage

TBILISI - The results of a media monitoring report ahead of Georgia’s Parliamentary elections in October was released Thursday showing areas of progress during the pre-election season by local media outlets.

Three non-governmental organizations - Internews Georgia, the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics and Civic Development Institute have observed more than 40 local online, print, broadcasting and radio outlets over a six-week period to compile the results.

The European Union and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) supported the process of gathering information for the monitoring report, as well as a series of monitoring rounds that will end in November, a month after the elections take place.

“We have been conducting the project for six years, with the support of the EU. We carried out several monitoring missions before the previous five elections…we can honestly say that there is progress regarding the overall media coverage of the pre-election process. We hope this trend will continue,” Natia Natsvlishvili, UNDP’s Resident Representative in Georgia, said

The Journalistic Ethics Charter, which has been conducting monitoring of local TVs, emphasized that Georgian TV programs focused their attention on the conduct of the various branches of government.

Leading TV station Rustavi-2 focuses on negative aspects of the government, while arch-rival GDS, owned by the rapper son of the Georgian billionaire and former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, consistently praises the government’s performance.

Civil Development Institute representative Giorgi Jologua said the main challenge for Georgia’s media is the issue of constant violations of ethical standards.

According to the report, radio reports are the most balanced and unbiased among other local mediums for the media.

Representatives of Internews Georgia noted that they objectively cover events that create the pre-conditions need to provide balanced information.

All reports are available for public online: www.MediaMonitor.ge and Facebook page: www.facebook.com/MediaMonitor.ge