Georgia loses positions in World Press Freedom index

Georgia has lost positions and ranks 89th out of 180 countries in the latest World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, the ranking promoting and defending the freedom of information and the press worldwide.

In the 2022 index of the international nonprofit organisation, the new position of the country reflects a worsening of its rating compared to 60th in 2021. The new points score for Georgia is 59.30, reflecting a decrease compared to the 71.36 last year.

The report said it reflected an “unprecedented” number of physical assaults on journalists in the country in 2021, noting “official interference” undermined efforts undertaken to improve press freedom.

The organisation called the media landscape in the country “diverse” but “heavily polarised,” and noted media owners “kept their hand” in controlling editorial content of outlets. It also highlighted a strengthening of regional and community radio stations amid a decline of print media readership and a growth of online news audiences.

The report pointed out a “new and serious political crisis” following the 2020 parliamentary elections, saying “this environment favours sustained competition for control of television networks.” RSF also pointed to ties between political leaders and owners of TV stations in the country.

In its comments on Georgia’s ranking, the international organisation also recalled the events of July 5 last year, during which more than 50 journalists were attacked and injured while covering a right-wing counter-rally organised against the planned Tbilisi Pride march in capital Tbilisi. 

The organisation said the “absence of transparency and of progress in investigations [...] demonstrated the impunity enjoyed by those who commit crimes against journalists” following the assaults.

With regard to the economic context, the report notes the “underdeveloped” state of the advertising market in Georgia in print and online press, which it says are “largely financed” by donors mainly from the West.

Georgia was first included in the report of the organisation in 2013 and ranked 100th among 180 countries.

The organisation said data-gathering for this year's Index stopped at the end of January 2022 but updates for January to March 2022 were carried out for countries where the situation "dramatically changed" including Russia, Ukraine and Mali.