The role of media in providing the public with rational and informed choice is crucial. As the country fights the effects of the pandemic, the responsibility of media is greater than ever. Only properly informed citizens can make rational and correct choices and decisions.

During a state of emergency, when our citizens are mostly relying on media for information, the existence of responsible media outlets is vitally important. In times of crisis, the media is a powerful force. Its power lies in information, and it is crucial that all information is based on true and verified facts. People’s health and lives largely depend on the information reported by the media.

It is important to highlight that in the current environment, members of the media are risking their own health to report events and inform the public. They deserve our gratitude. At the same time, it is vital that the media is not only proactive, but also accurate, supplying the public only with verified information.

At a time when parts of our society are acting irresponsibly, when there are instances of people failing to comply with self-isolation and quarantine rules, it is even more evident what an important challenge and responsibility the media faces. For this reason, the Georgian National Communications Commission is calling on all media representatives to report events with high professionalism and provide the public with true and verified facts. An informed and responsible public is the most effective weapon in the fight against the pandemic.