The Communications Commission has found Mtavari Arkhi guilty of violating the legislation by broadcasting a report containing obscenity. However, the broadcaster has been relieved of administrative liability, as the goal of the Commission is not to penalise the broadcaster, but to protect viewers from programmes containing obscenity. To this end, the Commission exercised its legal authority and declined to sanction Mtavari Arkhi. The Commission calls on Mtavari Arkhi, as well as all other...

“Maintaining ethical standards in the media is highly important for the freedom of expression. Repeated use of obscenity may limit the freedom of expression, including the freedom of obtaining information and freedom of choice. Protecting airtime from obscenity does not limit the freedom of expression. It raises freedom of expression to a higher standard,” the Chairman of the Communications Commission Kakha Bekauri stated at today’s public hearing. Today the Communications...

The Communications Commission has examined the report aired by Mtavari Arkhi on 12 December 2020 at 21:57 on the political show “Mtavari on Saturday.” The subject of the report was the first session of the Parliament following the 2020 parliamentary elections. The report included obscene remarks and a graphic image with unethical connotation. It should be noted that programmes containing obscenity have been aired with an increasing frequency during the recent period. Results of...

The Communications Commission has issued TV Formula with a fine of GEL 2500 for violating the Law on Broadcasting. More specifically, the broadcaster showed a programme unsuitable for minors during an inappropriate time slot, and without the appropriate age restriction label. Furthermore, TV Formula was ordered to comply with the Law on Broadcasting and the Code on the Rights of the Child, and avoid exposing minors to harmful content by ensuring that the television show “Chemi Tsolis...

The Communications Commission has upheld the complaint submitted by the Political Union of Citizens Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia and issued Mtavari Arkhi with a written warning for violating the Law of Georgia on Broadcasting. The broadcaster refused to place free political advertising for Georgian Dream during the second round of the elections, thereby violating the Law of Georgia on Broadcasting and the Election Code of Georgia. Mtavari Arkhi had been informed about the schedule and...

“Georgia currently has more than 100 television channels and a highly pluralistic media environment, which is a treasured achievement for our whole society. Unfortunately, this diverse media environment is saturated with low standards of professionalism, fake news, hate speech, threats, insults and obscenity. The Georgian Public Broadcaster is an exception in this regard, as confirmed by the results of the media monitoring process conducted by the Communications Commission during the...

The Communications Commission has published the final ComCom Digest for 2020, which includes a summary of the key decisions taken by the Commission during the past year, as well as the implemented projects, innovative services and events on the telecommunications market. Against the background of the pandemic, the year 2020 once again showed us the importance of orderly and effective operation of the telecommunications market, with the regulator playing a key role in this process. The success...

The Communications Commission is publishing the second media monitoring report for the pre-election period of the Georgian parliamentary elections, consisting of qualitative and quantitative assessment of the activities of broadcasters. Monitoring was carried out from 1 October until and including 31 October. Six national broadcasters were monitored during the prime time period between 19:00 and 00:00 each day. Qualitative monitoring applied to the First Channel of the Georgian Public...

The Communications Commission is publishing the third media monitoring report for the Georgian parliamentary elections, which includes qualitative and quantitative analysis of broadcasters during the reporting period of 1-21 November. As was the case in September and October, coverage of the second round of elections was conducted in accordance with the ethical norms by the Georgian Public Broadcaster, Rustavi 2 and Adjara TV, while Imedi, Mtavari Arkhi and TV Pirveli conducted biased...

Last year, the Media Academy of the Communications Commission established the platform Mediacritic.ge, which acted as a guide between the public and the media. For the past year, this unprecedented step towards the development of media critique has served to enable critical perception of information and the making of sensible and informed choices. During this short period of time, the number of visitors to the platform has already exceeded half a million. Apart from strengthening the...