FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY OF MEDIA - 2023

  The following report reflects the 2023 data on the financial transparency of Georgian media. The research, conducted annually by the Media Development Foundation (MDF), is based on the analysis of revenues declared by broadcasting media as required by law, as well as the practice of allocating budgetary funds for disseminating information and advertising in the media.

The data is based on the information retrieved from the State Procurement Agency, as well as additional information requested from state agencies, and, in some cases, on the content analysis of individual media outlets for the purpose of evaluating their editorial policy.

The report begins with an overview of the main findings of the study. The first section covers the financial revenues of broadcasters, which they are legally obligated to declare. The second section examines the allocation of public contracts for advertising and information dissemination across different types of media—television, radio, online, print, and social media. A separate chapter focuses on the expenditure of public funds on social media, including contracts requiring specific media outlets to publish materials in various Facebook groups and pages. The final section provides information on media outlets engaged in editorial practices involving hate speech and anti-Western narratives, which received public advertising funds. It also highlights outlets with a pro-government editorial stance that frequently participate in coordinated campaigns discrediting government opponents and Western actors.

The following report was prepared within the framework of the project "Quality Media and Conscious Media Consumption for Resilient Society (ConMeCo)”, which is implemented by the Deutsche Welle Akademie in cooperation with the Media Development Foundation and the Human Rights Center.

Authors: NINO GELASHVILI, MARIAM PATARIDZE
Editors: TAMAR KINTSURASHVILI, MARIAM PATARIDZE
Figures: MARIAM TSUTSKIRIDZE
Design: BESIK DANELIA, IBDESIGN
Cover Photo: Shutterstock, MICHAIL PETROV
Link: FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY OF MEDIA - 2023