Election Has Broadcasters Scrambling For Edge

Michael Hedges September 10, 2012 - Follow on Twitter

A new election cycle is upon us, longer it seems and certainly more costly each year. The drama plays well on television, even with the rise of new media, as candidates and supporters carefully craft their messages. Covering these major events gives an edge to broadcasters, too.

Privately held Georgian television channel TV9 announced last week (September 5) legendary former CNN talk show host Larry King had joined its advisory board. TV9’s owner, Bidzina Ivanishvili, is considered a rival to Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and an important round of parliamentary elections will be held October 1st. On the TV9 advisory board Mr. King joins Council on Foreign Relations president emeritus Leslie Gelb, former US Congressman Lee Hamilton, Georgian political scientist Giorgi Margvelashvili and former Reporters Sans Frontières secretary general Robert Menard.  In a company statement, all expressed great hopes for TV9 and concerns about press freedom in Georgia under President Saakashvili.

“TV9 will be relying on our advisory board members to promote and protect the editorial independence of TV9 in its goal of enhancing and preserving freedom of the press and a voice of independent news and views in the Republic of Georgia,” said TV9 CEO Kahka Bekauri in the same statement.

Billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, ranked 153rd in the world on the 2012 Forbes list, formed the Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party in April to oppose Mr. Saakashvili’s United National Movement. TV9 was launch in May, the official owner being Ekaterina Khvedelidze, wife of Mr. Ivanishvili. The mostly news and political talk channel with several regional bureaus appears on cable, satellite and the web. Mr. Ivanishvili owned a Georgian television channel with the same name until 2004 when it was closed.

The six main television channels in Georgia seem equally divided between government supporters and opposition; state TV, Imedi and Rustavi 2 on one side, Kavkasia, Maestro and TV9 on the other.  Most are well-financed; billionaires in Georgia, a universal trait, like television. Rustavi 2, privatized in 1994 and editorially opposed at the time to the government of former President Eduard Shevardnadze, is allegedly controlled by parliament member Davit Bezhuashvili. Imedi, a radio and TV company, was originally owned by the late Badri Patarkatsishvili, who may or may not have struck a partnership with Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation opposing those in power. The channel is now firmly pro-government.

Tblisi local channel Kavkasia TV is considered an “opposition” channel because it dares to allow viewpoints at odds with the government. Another opposition channel, Maestro TV, had “thousands” of satellite dishes seized by authorities in July. The station planned, said its statement, to distribute the satellite dishes at a “minimal, nominal fee” as part of a marketing plan. The government said it was a vote buying scheme tied to Mr. Ivanishvili. Last November one of Maestro TV’s owners, Erosi Kitsmarishvili, forcibly removed the company CEO from the premises for attempting to influence editorial policy. Mr. Kitsmarishvili once owned Rustavi 2, was Georgia’s ambassador to Russia in 2008, dismissed by President Saakashvili for criticizing the ill-fated war in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Political advertising has also come to television in Georgia. Advocacy groups, some less than transparent in motives, began using television to project points of view considered supportive of one side or another. The themes of public service campaigns – I Love Georgia and Made in Georgia – have been challenged in a report by the Tbilisi Human Rights Center (HRIDC) as having hidden political intent. The announcements highlight achievements of government agencies, which violates current Georgian law, said the report quoted by Georgia Today (August 16).

Another public service ad campaign touted the free internet service offered by Tbilisi city government. “During the pre-election period this slogan might sound like an election promise if we keep in mind that Tbilisi’s mayor and other officials affiliated with City Hall periodically participate in the pre-election campaign belonging to the United National Movement,” claims the HRIDC report. Also questioned was a talk show on Rustavi 2 that “jokes about opposition candidate Bidzina Ivanishvili in a negative tone.” 

Recently formed advocacy group Georgia Is Not For Sale, headed by a former State broadcasting board member, produced a series of announcements negatively characterizing Mr. Ivanishvili, questioning his intent and money. The ads were broadcast on channels considered pro-government - Imedi and Rustavi 2 – and declined by Maestro TV or TV9, reported the Democracy and Freedom NGO affiliated with the Open Society Institute (August 28). Management of Maestro TV complained that video in the ads was appropriated without permission from their programs.

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