The 2022 activity report of the Communications Commission provides a detailed overview of the activities and projects implemented by the Media Lab of the Media Academy, Media School, and the Media Critic platform. 

According to the report, the Media Lab worked actively to develop media literacy and support digital media startups, holding 25 events and providing free access to the Lab’s latest computers, software and other equipment to more than 600 beneficiaries. Additionally, more than 10 startups took the acceleration and incubation programme. 

The Media Lab, in partnership with Digital Road Studios and Georgia’s Innovation and Technology Agency, organised a two-day conference for game creators last year. During the event, the Lab held important masterclasses on the subject of game creation and development. Startuppers had the opportunity to present their ideas to investors. 

In 2022, the Media Lab organised two editions of “Ideadrome” – a contest designed to discover startup ideas, attract investment for prospective startuppers and help them put their products on the market. As part of the contest, participants underwent a week-long intensive training and worked with mentors on improving their startup ideas. “Ideadrome” has a prize fund of GEL 10,000. The majority of participants continue operating successfully. 

In order to raise awareness, share experience and develop digital literacy, the Media Lab constantly distributes informational materials on online platforms for people interested in this field. In total, there are around 200 articles available in the Media Lab online space, more than 60 of which were published last year. In 2022, the Media Lab website had more than 11,000 monthly visitors, while its Facebook page had 5,300 new followers, raising their total number to 24,000. Video lessons have been added to the Media Lab projects, which have a total of 850,000 views. 

To exchange knowledge and experiences between startups and specialists involved in the ecosystem, the Media Lab held seminars and masterclasses, where participants received important information about startup-related issues with the help of professional mentors. 

The 2022 report also presents Media School activities. We learn that in order to implement media standards, the Media School has been actively helping media representatives for more than three years to raise their qualifications. Last year, the Media School held around 10 trainings with more than 100 participants.  Media representatives had the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience from industry professionals on issues such as: propaganda in wartime and peacetime, safe coverage of rallies and demonstrations, European Union institutions and cultural diversity, storytelling, dramaturgy, and methods of countering disinformation. 

For the second year, the Media School has been giving people interested in journalism the opportunity to obtain knowledge through free online masterclasses by professional mentors. 29 video lectures by 4 new authors were added to the masterclass catalogue in 2022. They are designed for TVmanagers, journalists and producers, as well as those interested in creating a media product. The masterclasses had a total of 1.5 million views last year. 

In 2022, the media critique platform www.mediacritic.ge continued to offer critical analysis of media products to the public. In the age of modern technologies, where disinformation and manipulation are widespread, the Media Critic offers a professional and qualified information filter, while also raising public awareness and establishing a professional standard in the media. Last year, the platform published 147 materials, while its Facebook page had 6000 new subscribers. The platform itself had around 350,000 visitors in 2022.