INFORMING ETHNIC MINORITIES ON GEORGIA’S EURO-ATLANTIC INTEGRATION

The aim of the study was to identify the level of awareness of Euro-Atlantic integration issues among citizens of the regions densely populated by ethnic minorities.

Towards this end, main sources of information in Samtskhe-Javakheti and Kvemo Kartli regions were identified and messages of these media sources, fomenting anti-Western sentiments were studied. The study also analyzed the compliance of Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) with its legal obligation to inform ethnic minorities on issues of Euro-Atlantic integration. The study involved focus groups of minorities’ attitudes towards sources of information, media messages and the GPB coverage.

A mixed methodology was used, which included desk research, media content analysis and focus group discussions.

The report starts with the review of the methodology and key finding followed by an overview of sources of information in Part I; Part II focuses on messages spread by Russian TV channels and attitudes towards these messages; Part III analyzes the GPB’s content-related legal obligations, the compliance with it and media coverage. The final part of the study provides recommendations.

The study was conducted within the framework of the project "Informing Ethnic Minorities on Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic Integration” supported by the Open Society Georgia Foundation.

Authors: TAMAR KINTSURASHVILI, SOPO GELAVA, ANA CHITALADZE
Monitors: TAMAR GAGNIASHVILI, KHATIA LOMIDZE, MARIAM TSKHOVREBASHVILI, SOPO CHKHAIDZE
Media monitoring and focus group data processing: MARIAM TSUTSKIRIDZE
Link: INFORMING ETHNIC MINORITIES ON GEORGIA’S EURO-ATLANTIC INTEGRATION