Self-regulation
Pursuant to Article 14 of the Law of Georgia on Broadcasting and the Code of Conduct of Broadcasters adopted by the Georgian National Communication Commission (GNCC) in 2009, broadcasters are obliged to establish an efficient complains mechanism for considering customers’ complaints.If a broadcaster breaches the Code of Conduct, apply to us through filling out a provided questionnaire and the Media Development Foundation, MDF will present your complaint in a broadcaster's self-regulation body.
Statements
MDF response to the press service of the Government Administration
On July 8, the Press Service of the Government
Administration released a statement in response to the report prepared by Media Development Foundation on Public Funds for Media Promoting Hate
Speech & Anti-Western Sentiments. The official statement reads as
if MDF's report is not about service contracts, but subscription to the printed
media, regardless of their information policy.
We believe that the government administration's comment contains
data manipulation and misleads the population.
First of all, it should be noted that our study did not cover
the issue on funds allocated for subscription of the printed media by the state
agencies and, therefore, abovementioned argument cannot be used for explanation
of the problem indicated in our study. The report is aimed at studying how
state follows anti-discrimination policy, elaborated by European Commission against
Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) for Council of Europe member states and obliges
governments to use non-discrimination policy as precondition for concluding
contracts. Therefore, the main focus of the
study was not the amount of sum, but to reveal the problem of advisability of funding those
media outlets which have undisguised
discriminatory editorial policy.
To illustrate the fact that the study includes data on
advertising contracts and not a newspaper subscription, we attach several copies of contracts, which
are available for any interested party on the electronic database of State Procurement Agency, as well as the copies
of the contracts that MDF obtained from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and
legal entities under its subordination at the stage of court dispute.
Finally, even if referring to the statement issued by the
press service, the unconvincing picture is displayed: according to the annual contractual sums attached below it turns out
that average value of per paper subscribed by individual agencies is at least
25 up to 100 GEL , while the retail price of each various from 1 up to 2.50
GEL. Also, the magazine
"Tabula" is listed to subscribed media editions in the statement,
while the magazine has not been issued
for a year as the editorial claims.
Annex 1. Print media (part of contracts):
|
Ministry/Legal Entity
|
Newspaper
|
Subject of contract
|
Price
|
|
Ministry of Internal Affairs Legal Entity
Security Police
|
Alia
Holding
|
Publishing advertising material delivered by
the customer
|
36 000 GEL
|
|
The Roads Department of the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure
|
"Sakartvelos
Respublica"
|
Contract g.t. #5-13 (SPA120029080),
2013
The service for printing/publishing the information about
the activity of purchaser (45 000 cm 2).
|
14099.85GEL
|
|
The Roads Department of Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure
|
"Sakartvelos
Respublica"
|
Contract # 2-14 (SPA130028780), 2014
The service for printing/publishing the information/announcement of delivery about the activity of purchaser (45 000 cm 2).
|
13 950 GEL
|
|
The Ministry of Finance and Economy of the Autonomous
Republic of Adjara
|
Sakartvelos
Respublika
|
Contract #40 (SPA 140001459), 2014
Service for publishing announcements
|
6893 GEL
|
|
Environmental Protection Agency of the Ministry of Environment and Natural
Resources Protection
|
Sakartvelos
Respublika
|
Contract1-11 (CMR140019339) 2014; # 1-233 (CMR140146432) 2014; Mutual Agreement Act #1.
Service for publishing
announcements
|
A total of 5488,48 GEL
|
|
Ministry of Internal Affairs
Legal Entity 112
|
Alia
Holding
|
Contract #4, 2013
Publishing
the banners, press releases and announcements delivered by the customer on
the web page
|
4
200 GEL
|
|
Social Service Agency of the Ministry of Labour,
Health and Social Affairs
|
Asaval
Dasavali
|
Contract #158 (CMR 130107078),
2013.
Publishing brochures of the social service agency in
Asaval Dasavali newspaper, July 8, edition
|
1200 GEL
|
Annex 2. TV media:
|
Ministry/Legal Entity
|
TV
|
Subject of contract
|
Price
|
|
Ministry of internal Affairs
|
Obiektivi
|
Contract #268, 2014
Airing Social video clips at a channel
"Obiektivi"
|
9, 178.04 GEL
|
|
Ministry of internal Affairs
|
Obiektivi
|
Contract #1270,
2013
Airing advertising material at the channel "Obiektivi"
|
5, 000 GEL
|
|
Ministry of internal Affairs, legal entity
Service Agency
|
Obiektivi
|
Contract #494,
2013
Airing advertising-informational material at a
channel "Obiektivi"
|
10, 501.71USD
|
|
Ministry of Defense
|
Obiektivi
|
Contract #347,
2014
Purchase of TV
air time for advertising
|
5, 461.71 USD
|
|
Ministry of Education
|
Obiektivi
|
Contract #08-109/2,
2013
Airing advertising material at the channel "Obiektivi"
|
4, 800 GEL
|
|
National Wine
Agency
|
Obiectivi
|
Contract #254 (CMR 130310221) , 2013
Airing advertising material
|
5, 000 GEL
|