Imedi TV fined with GEL 5k for refusal to air opposition European Georgia election ad
Imedi TV claims that the ads of European Georgia party trigger ‘hate speech’ and is assaulting, while its content is ‘unethical and unscrupulous’. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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Georgian TV channel Imedi, which has refused to air a political advertisement of the opposition party European Georgia in the run up to the October 2 elections, has been fined with GEL 5,000.
The Communications Commission (ComCom), a regulatory body responsible for broadcasting and electronic communication, has satisfied the complaint of the opposition European Georgia party, which was also upheld by the court.
Nevertheless, Imedi TV did not air the opposition party’s another political ad. The European Georgia therefore addressed the ComCom with a new complaint.
Imedi TV claims that the ads trigger ‘hate speech’ and is assaulting, while its content is ‘unethical and unscrupulous’.
Photo: Imedinews.ge
The TV company has meanwhile refused to air another opposition United National Movement’s free political ad, which Imedi TV claims ‘includes signs of crime, illegal actions, triggers crime and is aimed at causing unrest and antisocial actions’.
ComCom, which has studied the content of the political ads based on the standards of the supreme court, says they do not contradict with the general norms and principles of the constitution.
Therefore, ComCom has announced that Imedi TV has violated the election code in all the above cases, thus the complaints of the two opposition parties have been satisfied.
Communications Commission (ComCom), a regulatory body responsible for broadcasting and electronic communication, has satisfied the complaint of the opposition European Georgia party against Imedi TV.
Local TV channel Imedi has responded to former Georgian PM and Tbilisi mayor candidate Giorgi Gakharia’s accusations that the channel has political bias and has thus refused to air him live in the run up to the October 2 municipal elections. Imedi pointed out an alleged connection between the current opposition United National Movement (UNM) party which governed the country from 2004 to 2012 and Giorgi Gakharia who left the post of PM on February 18, 2021 due to a disagreement with the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and launched the For Georgia political party in late May.
Former Georgian PM Giorgi Gakharia, who is running for Tbilisi mayor in the upcoming October 2 self-government elections, has accused local TV channel Imedi of political bias and demands to be aired live. Giorgi Gakharia resigned from the post of PM on February 18, 2021 due to a disagreement with the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and soon after in late May launched the For Georgia political party. The GD accused Gakharia of planning an alleged coup together with the largest opposition United National Movement (UNM) party, noting that his resignation ’was profitable for the UNM.’
Georgian TV channel Imedi has refused to air a political advertisement of opposition party European Georgia in the run up to the October 2 elections due to alleged ‘hate speech content.'
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