Transparency International Georgia speaks about the Communications Commission’s ban on 93 words and phrases

Communications Commission regulations regarding the media

According to a study conducted by "Transparency International Georgia" (TI Georgia), the Communications Commission has restricted the use of 93 words and phrases for critical broadcasters — "TV Pirveli" and "Formula". According to the organization, among the banned terms are: "regime", "oligarch", "judicial clan", "political prisoners", "Ivanishvili's prime minister" and "Georgian Dream's police". Civil.ge+5

The organization states that the commission obliges the media to cover news "dryly", without any evaluation or analysis. The Communications Commission, for its part, points out that broadcasters are violating Article 54, Paragraph 5 of the Law on Broadcasting because they cover news through the prism of journalists' personal attitudes and opinions. Civil.ge+4

Financial sanctions and monitoring

Over the past six months, the commission has drawn up 7 reports against critical channels. The sanctions increased gradually: after a verbal warning, the television stations were fined 2,500 GEL, then 5,000 GEL. On October 1, "Formula" was fined 10,000 GEL. "Transparency International Georgia" states that the commission also has the authority to suspend a broadcasting license, which poses a threat to media activities. Civil.ge+4

The organization also notes that the commission monitors pro-government channels as well, although it calls this process "formal". According to "Transparency International Georgia", the commission intensified substantive monitoring after Great Britain sanctioned "Imedi" and "POSTV" for supporting Russian disinformation. Formula+2