The Georgian National Communications Commission responds to the statements made by the director general of company Stereo+ in TV Company Channel 9 program “Eka Beridze’s Main Question” aired on October 18, 2012.

The Commission confirms that inspection of TV company Stereo+ Ltd was conducted on October 18, 2012. Public session regarding this issue will be held at GNCC on October 26, 2012, at 16:00. Management of the company as well as all interested parties is given possibility to attend the session and to express their opinion. That is why we don’t add anything; all questions will be answered at the session.

Apart from this, David Zilfimiani, director of Stereo+ Ltd touched on other issues in the broadcasting field and gave wrong information to society.

Mr. Zilfimiani stated that TV company Rustavi 2 held broadcasting license in Rustavi on 12th metric channel and geographical coverage area of this license and increase of power of signal transmitter was carried out illegally. The Georgian National Communications Commission explains that TV company Rustavi 2 originally held a broadcasting license, but not on 12th metric channel, but on 11th metric channel and geographical coverage area was Rustavi, although at that period the Georgian National Communications Commission did not exist. As it is known for the Commission, in 90s of the last century broadcasting licenses were issued by the Ministry of Communications of the Republic of Georgia of Eduard Shevardnadze government. This Department made modifications to Rustavi 2 license. It is unknown for the Commission why Mr. Zilfimiani needed reminding of the history of issuance and modification of broadcasting license in the last ten-year period of the last century. It is more incomprehensible to connect the Georgian National Communications Commission to this history.

In the same program Mr. Zilfimiani mentioned TV company GMG which broadcasts not 8 channels, as he stated, but 6 channels instead. The company is given authorization for cable broadcasting and holds private specialized (entertaining-educational) broadcasting license via satellite systems.

In accordance with the Georgian legislation company which carries out private broadcasting via cable network and/or satellite systems is authorized to produce and distribute not one but several kind of broadcasting production on its own name and editorial responsibility, because this technology of broadcasting is not connected to scarce resource (frequency) usage. In case of broadcasting via frequency spectrum, broadcaster can distribute only one broadcasting channel.

Hence it was groundless accusation from Mr. Zilfimiani’s side to mention TV company GMG as law-breaking company and the Commission as organization supporting breach of law. The Georgian legislation, namely the Law of Georgia on Broadcasting authorizes TV company GMG to produce and distribute several broadcasting channels.

Besides, during the program Mr. Zilfimiani named several broadcasting companies and stated that the Commission caused problems to them at different times, though what kind of problems he meant it is unknown, because the facts were not named. In the Commission’s opinion it is conscious attempt from Mr. Zilfimiani’s side to present the Georgian National Communications Commission in the negative context.

It must be mentioned that TV Company Channel 9 program “Eka Beridze’s Main Question” has not get in touch with the Georgian National Communications Commission and has not given possibility to the Commission to express its position regarding this issue. We appeal to TV company Channel 9 to observe the principle of justice and impartiality.