Grigol Gogelia, Chairman of Board of Trustees of Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) presented the 2016 report in the Georgian Parliamentary Committee of Education and Science. Grigol Gogelia talked about planned changes, including the concept of integrated newsroom.Chairman of Board of Trustees made main focus on Law on Broadcasting and noted that changes should be made in different directions.The questions of MPs referred to budget expenditure and reporting current developments in the country.

The jury of a competition announced for selection of scenarios for TV series at Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) revealed two winners. The scenario “Vacancy on Post of Murderer” of Ilia Jibghashvili and Beso Solomonashvili won in thriller genre. The scenario “Swaying” of Basa Janikashvili and Sandro Jandieri won in melodrama genre. Fifteen scenarios qualified for the second round of the competition out of 45 applications. The 8-member jury revealed the best ones. The commission will now apply to Vasil Maghlaperidze, General Director of GPB for implementation of these projects. 

The second round of a competition for selection of new programs has been launched at Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB). The applicants, who qualified for the second tour, are presenting their projects before members of competition commission. The second round means preparation of pilot programs. The 37 projects out of totally received 153 applications passed onto the second round. The competition for selection of new programs for 2017-2018 broadcast programming was announced on April 3. 

Grigol Gogelia, Chairman of Board of Trustees of Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) presented the annual 2016 report of GPB’s activities at the sitting of the parliamentary Branch Economy and Economic Policy Committee. Gogelia stressed on priorities and development plan of GPB. He then answered questions of MPs. The questions mainly had to do with new building of GPB, competition announced for selection of new programs and faults about Law on Broadcasting. 

The first stage of the competition announced by the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) has been completed, which means the selection of feature series scripts for 2017-2018 season.A total of 45 script applications have been received.Competitors moved to the second stage are:Detective:1. Tamar Adorneli  "Ali Khan and Nino"2. Malkhaz Aslamazashvili  "Chameleon’s Color"3. Ilia Jibghashvili, Beso Solomonashvili  "Vacancy for Murder Position"4. Luka Tsuladze, Tengiz Astakhishvili "On the Bottom"5. Giorgi Barabadze "Boys from Komarov"6. Irakli Apakidze, Levan Kitia "Zebra"7. Alexandre Kurkhuli, Beka Kurkhuli, Levan Kitia "Coffee Beer"8. Giorgi Kobalia, Giga Baindurashvili "Private Detective"9. Nana Khatiashvili "Deduction Method"10. Tamar Adorneli  "Family Secret"Drama: 1. Otar Shamatava "TAFU"2. Koba Tskhakaia, Soso Mchedlishvili "Burdo"3. Sandro Jandieri, Basa Janikashvili "Waving"4. Tengiz Tkhilava, Beka Oniani, Irakli Apakidze, Levan Kitia "Under your Bed"5. Akaki Kipshidze, Murtaz Chikovani "Temporarily employed"Eight member commissions will conduct interviews with the competitors on 22-23 May, after which two winners will be revealed.

The Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) will be airing all matches of 2017 World Rugby Under 20 Championship hosted by Georgia from May 31 to June 18. All the 30 matches will be broadcast live at Tbilisi and Kutaisi stadiums. The Georgian team will compete among the 12 best contending ones. 

Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) prolonged  deadline for selecting programs and feature series scripts for a new broadcast season.Within the framework of a competition announced by GPB a total of 153 program applications and 45 script applications have been received. Due to a large number of applications, commission decided to extend the term for making final decision in order to give the commission members opportunity to study each application in detail.Information about the date of announcing the decision will be published on GPB website in the nearest future.The competition was open from April 3 to April 25. The programs will be selected by a 12-member commission headed by Paata Kurdadze, Direction of Media Production of GPB. The commission is staffed by invited experts and employees of GPB. 

Receipt of applications for scenarios of TV series to be aired starting new broadcasting season is over at Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB). GPB received 45 applications. The scenarios were received in two directions: Thriller and Detective genres. The competition was held into 2 stages. The candidates, who qualify for the second round, will be invited for presentation. 

The visit of delegation of Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues in Tbilisi. Experts of foreign Media are meeting with representatives of Georgian media organizations. Establishment of Media Ombudsman’s Institute is the main topic for discussions. 

The media environment in Georgia - the OSCE representatives will hold meetings about the issue today.Experts will meet with representatives of the Public Defender, parliamentary majority and minority.The purpose of the visit is to evaluate the existing media environment in Georgia. Meetings are scheduled with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Government Administration representatives and non-governmental organizations working on media issues.

International Organization Freedom House has released the 2017 Press Freedom Index. According to the index Georgia is in the partly free countries’ category as it was in 2016. Georgia has 50 points according to the index. 0 point means free and 100 – least free. Georgia’s legislative (13/40), political (21/40) and economic (16/30) environment is also evaluated in the report. It’s notable that Georgia maintains the best score among the post-soviet countries. 

Receipt of applications within the framework of a competition announced by Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) for selection of programs for the new broadcast season is over. A total of 153 applications are received. The applicants submitted them for 9 programs in 5 directions. The competition was open from April 3 to April 25. The programs will be selected by a 12-member commission headed by Paata Kurdadze, Direction of Media Production of GPB. The commission is staffed by invited experts and employees of GPB. Those applicants, who qualify for the second round of competition, will hold presentations in May. The third tour envisages preparation of pilot programs. The best projects will be revealed in the beginning of June, 2017. 

Grigol Gogelia has been elected on post of Chairman of Board of Trustees of Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) with the second term. Six members supported Gogelia’s candidacy through secret balloting, 2 members abstained from voting. Gogelia’s membership term expires in 2018. Also during the sitting, Marina Muskhelishvili was elected as deputy chairperson of Board of Trustees. Some members asked GPB management for provision of information about ongoing processes in the broadcaster. 

The Coordination Council members of the non-parliamentary opposition are expressing protest about changing the format of the program “Briefing Time” aired on Second Channel of Georgian public broadcaster.According to member of the Council Giorgi Akhvlediani, political parties had the opportunity to communicate with the public through this program and changing the existing format means that the program will be closed.The Coordination Council, which consists of 15 political parties, plans to hold protest rallies with demand to  suspend the processes.Giorgi Gvimradze, the Director of News and Current Affairs of Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) responded to protest of oppositional parties.  He says that Briefing Time has not been closed; only existing format has been changed.According to Giorgi Gvimradze, parties will be able to provide Public Broadcaster with any material shot by them; in Addition parties have opportunity to conduct briefings at Broadcaster's press club.

The Board of Trustees of Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) is discussing the issue of payment to TNS Opinion, one of the leader companies in international research. Board members are considering the contract based on which GPB and 3 other private TV companies ordered carrying out of exit-polls ahead of the 2016 parliamentary elections. The Board believes that GPB should not pay to TNS Opinion since results of exit-polls drastically differed from those published by Central Election Commission (CEC). Based on the contract, the admissible margin of error was 2%. 

The Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) announces a competition for selection of scenarios of TV series for the new broadcast season. The competition will be held into two stages, and all interesting persons can take part in it. Scenarios for Detective-Thriller type and Melodrama genres of TV series will be selected. Contenders should present a concept, one episode with dialog and vision of film director. Detective TV series will be aired twice a week during three months and should have 24 episodes. A melodrama will go on the air 4 times a week and will have 48 episodes. Applications will be received till April 30. For more information, please, call to the following phone number 2 40 94 77. 

A new rule for use of Georgian Public Broadcaster’s (GPB) signal has been activated. GPB will allow all media outlets including private TV Companies to have access to its live transmission material free of charge but only with use of the broadcaster’s logo when distributing the material. This is an international standard and all TV stations will have to observe the rule in the future. “GPB does not limit airing the parliamentary sessions and committee sittings to private TV Companies but allows them to broadcast the footage free-of-charge with use of GPB logo/trademark. GPB will allow all media outlets to access its video material with use of its logo in the future,” reads the statement.GPB released an official statement in response to the allegations voiced during the bureau sitting by members of the parliamentary opposition. Some lawmakers expressed protest over GPB decision and described it as a restriction set for private TV channels. GPB management explained that MPs misinterpreted the released information. The broadcaster further clarified that when providing a common signal, GPB spends both human and technical resources.  

Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) does not limit airing of parliamentary sessions and committee sittings to private TV Companies but allows them to broadcast them free-of-charge with use of GPB logo/trademark. GPB released an official statement in response to the allegations voiced during the bureau sitting by members of the parliamentary opposition. “GPB will allow all media outlets to access its video material with its logo in the future,” reads the statement. 

The Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) announces competition for selection of 9 new programs for new broadcast season starting today. Projects will be received through electronic form. Criteria for selection of programs are determined. A special commission is established. The competition will be held into three stages. The projects, which qualify for the second stage, will be presented. Preparation of pilot programs is required for the third stage. 

Rustavi 2 TV Company changed its web-page address from rustavi2.com to rustavi2.ge. Founders of Rustavi 2 TV Company Davit Dvali and Jarji Akimidze say that Rustavi 2 web-page domain rustavi2.com belongs to them. The founders released a statement through social network which reads the following: “Starting today we stop charity activities and will attempt to balance the strong flow of propaganda and misinformation. In 2004 when national movement authorities forced us to cede 60% shares of TV Company, they forgot that the domain was a separate property and continued using the internet resource. The authorities did not even become interested who covered expenses for use of the domain for 13 years,” says the statement.