The ruling Georgian Dream party has initiated another bill to restrict the work of Georgian broadcasters.
Points of attention
- The ruling Georgian Dream party has introduced a bill to restrict the work of Georgian broadcasters, impacting television and radio stations.
- The proposed bill grants the Communications Commission the authority to fine media outlets for violations of ethical standards, focusing on fairness, impartiality, and other principles in news reporting.
- If passed, the amendments to the 'Law on Broadcasting' could shift regulatory powers away from media self-regulation towards stricter oversight by the Communications Commission.
Georgia seeks to restrict media work
The amendments to the "Law on Broadcasting" will affect Georgian television and radio stations. According to the amendments, the Communications Commission will gain the right to consider issues that were previously within the scope of media self-regulation and will be able to fine television and radio stations.
Georgian Dream claims that this is a British media model that provides "high-quality and objective broadcasting in the field of media services."
According to the initiative, the Commission will be able to warn and fine Georgian television and radio stations if the media do not adhere to the principles of “fairness” and “impartiality” when reporting news; do not maintain balance when covering an issue in the news; and record an interview or telephone conversation for broadcast without prior warning (except in cases where there is an assumption that open recording would be impossible).
In addition, financial penalties may be imposed if, when filming material in an educational institution, hospital, penitentiary, police station or ambulance, prior consent is not obtained from either the authorized person or the persons being filmed. If only one guest is invited to a program on a topical topic, and this is used to accuse a person who is not participating in the program, Georgian journalists will also face measures from the Commission.
Until now, media outlets in Georgia were obliged to respond to the described violations within the framework of the self-regulation mechanism and did not have to pay a fine for this.
The bill states that if the Commission determines that a broadcaster has violated ethical standards, it will be warned and given a deadline to eliminate the violations. If this requirement is not met, the channel will be fined. A fine will be possible if the Commission finds a serious violation within a year after the broadcaster receives the warning.
It is noted that if the law is adopted, the Commission will be able to fine the broadcaster 0.5% of its annual revenue.
