The representatives of European Broadcasting Union (EBU) are paying a working visit to Georgia.Jon Ola Sand, EBU Supervisor and Gert Kark, EBU TV project manager are holding meeting with the representatives of the Georgia’s Public Broadcaster (GPB), including the Junior Eurovision project manager, Media and Communication Director, Eurovision Producer as well as the Head of the Tourism Department. Talks focused on organizational and technical issues. Junior Eurovision Song Contest (JESC) will be held in Tbilisi, Georgia this year.

Azercosmos, Main Satellite Ground Control Station will ensure distribution of satellite signal of First Channel, Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB). Vasil Maghlaperidze, GPB General Director obtained the permission for the deal from Board of Trustees today. The deal exceeds annual budget of GPB by 1 %. Other details are not known. The management says that the final version of the agreement is not available yet. Sulkhan Saladze, a member of Board of Trustees said that he did not support the decision. He said he believes that the broadcaster had time to ask other leading players on the market if they wanted to use the service of Azercosmos. 

Weekly public discussions were held at Tbilisi State University (TSU) with organization of media platform European.Ge about situation in Georgian media and ongoing developments at Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB). Giorgi Gvimradze, Head of News and Current Affairs Bloc of GPB delivered a speech. Students of TSU Journalism Department attended the discussions. 

Board of Trustees of Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) is discussing service to be bought for distribution of First Channel’s signal through satellite. Vasil Maghlaperidze, General Director of GPB applied to the Board with the request. 

Rustavi 2 TV Company and its web-page are working in protest regime. Broadcasting is stopped and the staff is preparing for a protest to be held in support of Rustavi 2 at central Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi on February 19. Zaal Udumashvili, Deputy General Director of TV Company said that it was not easy to make the decision about protest but TV Company had no other choice. 

Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze commented on launch of protest broadcasting by Rustavi 2 TV Company from Germany where Munich Security Conference is being held. Janelidze said that freedom of media was guaranteed in Georgia. “The case of Rustavi 2 is in court and making ado, attempt of destabilization and causing tension in public are less effective. We should wait for court decision together,” Janelidze said. Rustavi 2 TV Company and its web-page are working in protest regime. Broadcasting is stopped and the staff is preparing for a protest to be held in support of Rustavi 2 at central Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi on February 19. Zaal Udumashvili, Deputy General Director of TV Company said that it was not easy to make the decision about protest but TV Company had no other choice. 

Board of Trustees of Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) will discuss the scheme presented by GPB management about how to filter programs, which should remain in GPB broadcast programming or be closed, on February 21. The Executive Council introduced the scheme to members of GPB Board of Trustees on February 17. The Council divided the programs into 3 groups. Members of the council believe that those which are listed in the first and second categories should remain, while those in the 3rd – should not be aired in the future. Fourteen programs, which may be closed include Real Space, Short 20th Century, Vector, Red Zone, Unknown Music and talk-show Main. The main argument for their suspension is low rating. The management says it guided with the evaluation system of specialists when dividing programs into 3 groups. However, some members of the Board disagree with the proposed scheme. They claim that evaluation of programs based only on rating is unacceptable. The Board believes that the activity of the broadcaster should be evaluated based on 4 criteria: share of TV and access, quality, influence and value with respect to expenditure. 

Thirteen programs of Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) may close. GPB management presented a scheme about how to filter programs, which should remain in GPB broadcast programming or be closed.The Executive Council introduced the scheme to members of GPB Board of Trustees during the sitting today. The Council divided the programs into 3 groups. Members of the council believe that those which are listed in the first and second categories should remain, while those in the 3rd – should not be aired in the future. The 13 programs, which are proposed to be stopped include Real Space, Short 20th Century, Vector, Red Zone, Unknown Music and talk-show Main. The main argument for their suspension is low rating. “We offered the Board to close the programs that have relatively low rating and to address the saved finances at improving the material-technical base,” Director General Vasil Maghlaperidze said. According to him, the Public Broadcaster needs to save money in order to improve material-technical base. “This is a long-term process and requires serious finances. The rating of the channel is conditioned by programs. We have offered the Board to close the programs that have relatively low rating and to address the saved finances at improving the material-technical base. We don’t know any other way of how to save finances”, he said.The management says it guided with the evaluation system of specialists when dividing programs into 3 groups. However, some members of the Board disagree with the proposed scheme. They claim that evaluation of programs based only on rating is unacceptable. The scheme is not final and will be discussed by GPB Board of Trustees. The Board believes that the activity of the broadcaster should be evaluated based on 4 criteria: share of TV and access, quality, influence and value with respect to expenditure. 

The management of Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) presented a scheme about how to filter programs, which should remain in GPB broadcast programming or be stopped.The Executive Council introduced the scheme to members of GPB Board of Trustees during the sitting today. The Council divided the programs into 3 groups. Members of the council believe that those which are listed in the first and second categories should remain, while those in the 3rd – should not be aired in the future. The 14 programs, which are proposed to be stopped include Real Space, Short 20th Century, Vector, Red Zone and talk-show Main. The main argument for their suspension is low rating. “We offered the Board to close the programs that have relatively low rating and to address the saved finances at improving the material-technical base,” Director General Vasil Maghlaperidze said. According to him, the Public Broadcaster needs to save money in order to improve material-technical base. “This is a long-term process and requires serious finances. The rating of the channel is conditioned by programs. We have offered the Board to close the programs that have relatively low rating and to address the saved finances at improving the material-technical base. We don’t know any other way of how to save finances”, he said.Some members of the Board disagree with the proposed scheme. They claim that evaluation of programs based only on rating is unacceptable. The Board believes that the activity of the broadcaster should be evaluated based on 4 criteria: share of TV and access, quality, influence and value with respect to expenditure.

The management of Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) presented a scheme about how to filter programs aired on GPB during the sitting of Board of Trustees today.  Executive Council divided the programs into 3 groups. Members of the council believe that those which are listed in the first and second categories should remain, while those in the 3rd – should not be aired in the future. The decision is not final. Some members of the Board disagree with the proposed scheme. The Board believes that the activity of the broadcaster should be evaluated based on 4 criteria: share of TV and access, quality, influence and value with respect to expenditure.  

Board of Trustees of the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) will hold a sitting today. Members of the Board will be introduced to the viewpoints of the GPB management regarding the document, which the board elaborated. The Board believes that the activity of the broadcaster should be evaluated based on 4 criteria: share of TV and access, quality, influence and value with respect to expenditure. 

Board of Trustees of Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) has presented a vision on evaluation criteria of GPB programs to the Executive Council of GPB. According to Sulkhan Saladze, one of the members of Board, no particular resistance from the management took place. He said that talks focused on ratings.Management will present its point of view about the document at the session of the Council, which is scheduled for tomorrow.

Executive Council of Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) released a statement through which the council thanks the public for interest over the current developments and planned reforms at GPB. The Council calls on the interested persons for being actively involved in public discussions about the development strategy. “We chose the way, which ensures transparency, fairness, consensus and protection of employees’ rights. We believe that the process will be a start of the new stage, which will transform GPB into a media organization oriented on public’s interests, attraction of audience and quality,” reads the statement. Full text of the statement is published on GPB web-page www.1tv.ge.

Members of Board of Trustees of Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) continue holding of meetings with employees over GPB development plan. The Board is planned to present a document on February 16 where evaluation criteria of GPB programs will be outlined. The document will then be submitted to GPB General Director and Executive Council. 

Irakli Mamaladze, a member of Sakdrisi Gold Mine Protection Committee confirms that he is a witness into case of Archpriest Giorgi Mamaladze, who is charged of an attempt to poison Georgia’s Patriarch and gave evidence to Chief Prosecutor’s Office. Irakli Mamaladze accused Nodar Meladze, journalist of Rustavi 2 TV Company of violation of journalistic standards and ethnic norms and claimed that the information aired by Rustavi 2 posed a threat to him as being the witness. Irakli Mamaladze said that he gave the information as a source and received the promise to remain as confidential. He said he did not plan to sue the TV Company but demands public apology.

Members of management and Board of Trustees of Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) continue holding of meetings with employees and various public groups over the issue of the broadcaster’s re-organization and development. Discussions at this stage are being held about criteria based on which programs will be selected. Rating of the programs will be also considered. Non-governmental organizations claim that carrying out of reforms is necessary. However, suspension of political programs and talk-shows is not acceptable. 

The Executive Council of Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) released a statement regarding the fact of   intrusion into the GPB building.“The participants of the rally intruded into the hall of Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) without permission and forcefully appeared in the live air of the First Channel. We assess the fact as interference into journalists’ activities and infringement of activities of Public Broadcaster.The organizers and the participants of the rally are responsible for the violent actions. The fact is a dangerous precedent, alarming signal, which poses a threat to the normal functioning of the Public Broadcaster.We believe that the fact of intrusion should be an issue of active discussions from the public in order to understand the meaning of the incident adequately and prevent further complications.We call on politicians, media experts, representatives of NGOs, journalists, citizens do not encourage violence and distance themselves from aggressive acts", - the statement reads.

How the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) should be developed and transformed?  A new management of Georgian Public Broadcaster held a meeting with the representatives of the non-governmental organizations.The question-answer format meeting lasted during several hours at the conference hall of GPB.The questions were related to the 3-year action plan of  development and transformation, presented by General Director  as well as developments in GPB and political influences.

Members of Board of Trustees of Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) have held a meet today. Members talked about the decision reached yesterday - how to define criteria of the Public Broadcaster’s efficiency.Members of Board have determined  procedures of the meetings. It was decided that criteria for the effectiveness of Broadcaster and its programs will be determined with involvement of broad public involvement.

Noise occurred at the plenary session of the Parliament. MP Elene Khoshtaria hanged a banner “Stop Storming Media” at the sitting hall of the Parliament. She resisted to the guards, however she still managed to post a banner.