The U.S. Embassy in Georgia together with IREX is pleased to announce the winners of the 2011 Georgian Media Partnership Program (GMPP): Channel 25, Batumi and Gurjaani TV, Gurjaani.

These TV stations will be partnered with U.S. broadcasters to formstrong, collegial and lasting professional relationships via exchanges, individual consultations and the sharing of best practices.Representatives from Channel 25 and GurjaaniTV will visit their U.S. partner TV stations for intensive hands-on consultations. Professionals from the U.S. TV partner outlets will travel to Georgia to conduct trainings and on-site consultations with Channel 25 and Gurjaani TV. In addition, virtual consultations willfurther assist the needs of the Georgian broadcasters to strengthen them as businesses and as sustainable news organizations.

Source: Media.ge

Read More »Georgian Media Partnership Program 2011 Announces Winners

In the morning of February 8 the Georgian Public Broadcasting (GPB), Gori-based TV company Trialeti and First Stereo resumed broadcasts in Shida Kartli. Imedi TV managed to be back on air yesterday afternoon.

Source: http://www.media.ge/en/node/40192

Read More »National Channels Resume Broadcasts in Shida Kartli

The Guardian’s Moscow correspondent has been expelled from Russia, in what is believed to be the first removal of a British staff journalist from the country since the end of the cold war.

Luke Harding’s forced departure comes after the newspaper’s reporting of the WikiLeaks cables, where he reported on allegations that Russia under the rule of Vladimir Putin had become a “virtual mafia state”.

The journalist flew back to Moscow at the weekend after a two-month stint reporting on the contents of the leaked US diplomatic cables from London, but was refused entry when his passport was checked on his arrival.

After spending 45 minutes in an airport cell, he was sent back to the UK on the first available plane – with his visa annulled and his passport only returned to him after taking his seat. Harding was given no specific reason for the decision, although an airport security official working for the Federal Border Service, an arm of the FSB intelligence agency, told him: “For you Russia is closed.” 

Source: The Guardian

Read More »Guardian’s Moscow Correspondent Expelled From Russia

Cooking shows in Iran were banned from cooking foreign cuisine on Sunday.

The ban comes from conservatives who are trying to keep westernization out of Iranian culture, AFP reported. The deputy head of Iran’s state broadcaster, Ali Darabi said, “From now on teaching how to cook non-Iranian dishes is banned,” according to AFP citing Iranian media. Popular cooking shows on television from now on will only display Iranian food.

Until the ban, daytime cooking shows in Iran presented diverse Iranian and foreign recipes with Italian, Chinese, and Indian food being popular in the country, according to the report.

State-owned television is the only television allowed in the theocratic republic where private broadcasters and satellite television are banned. 

Source: www.theepochtimes.com

Read More »Iran bans TV Cooking Shows Demonstrating Foreign Cuisine

On the morning of February 7 Kartli Region was cut off of the Georgian TV broadcasting. Rustavi 2, Imedi, GPB and local Trialeti TV simultaneously went off the air. Currently only Sakartvelo TV company programming, which is limited to airing movies, is available in the region. All the radio stations, which used to broadcast through Gori TV tower, are off.

Reporting to Media.ge Lado Bichashvili, Trialeti TV producer said that due to the last night’s snowstorm the TV tower wires were broken which caused technical problems to the transmitter consequently resulting into the suspension of TV broadcasting. Technicians’ teams of Georgian TV channels have arrived at the tower to do away with the damage. The time of the resumption of TV broadcasting is yet unknown. 

Source: www.Media.ge

Read More »Georgian TV Channels Go Off Air in Kartli Region

Publisher of “Haykakan Zhamanak” daily -“Dareskizb” Ltd. – must pay 6 million 132 thousand drams ($16,800) in total to 3 deputies of the RA National Assembly. Such decision was reached by the Court of General Jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash administrative districts on February 7, considering that the information in the article entitled “Seven of Eight On the List” issued in the newspaper on October 14, 2010 is not true.

Deputies and well-known businessmen Ruben Hayrapetyan, Samvel Aleksanyan and Levon Sargsyan had applied to the court with a claim against “Haykakan Zhamanak” daily, demanding to compensate the damage caused to their honour, dignity and business reputation. As compensation they demanded the newspaper to pay 2, 5 million drams ($6,850) each of them, of which 500,000 drams ($1,370) as compensation for legal expenses.

The court partially granted the petitioners’ demand, also noting in the decision that “Haykakan Zhamanak” daily must publish a retraction within a week after the verdict’s coming into force. Now “Dareskizb” Ltd. is obligated to pay each of the deputies 2 million 44 thousand drams ($5,600).

Read More »The Court Decided: “Haykakan Zhamanak” Daily is Obliged to Pay

Representatives of the Ministry for  Emergency Situations and “Azenerzhi”, which are taking guard of the Flag Square, made a moral pressure on a group of journalists who arrived to clarify the reason for the lowering the flag. They refuse to answer the question why the flag has been lowered and rudely push aside the journalists from the square. “This is a state object and it is not allowed to photograph it!” cried the big fellow in the form of employee of “Azenerzhi”, and demanded that a passing police car arrested the journalists. However, the policeman turned to be cleverer that the security of “Azenerzhi” and sent him away.

The behavior of the representatives of the Ministry for Emergency Situations was very rude and defiant, they demanded not to approach the area and do not shoot. They have demonstrated a willingness to use force if the journalists do not go away. The press workers demanded not to disturb them to do their work and told that the Flag Square is not a closed object, and that the prohibition of the Ministry and “Azenerzhi” was absolutely illegal. However, all requirements of the journalists did not have effect. And no one can give an answer to the question why the Flag Square is guarded by the representatives of Azenerzhi. 

Read More »Guards In Baku Square Make Pressure On Journalists

Journalists covering the revolt against President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt have found themselves the targets of widespread anger and suspicion in an apparently coordinated campaign that is intended to stifle the flow of news that could further undermine the government. 

No news organization seemed exempt from the rage, which escalated as the week wore on. Whether from Western or Arab media, television networks or wire services, newspapers or photo syndicates, journalists were chased through the streets and had their equipment stolen or smashed. Some were beaten so badly that they required hospital treatment.

If the aim was to suppress coverage, the actions were somewhat effective. Major television networks from around the world were largely unable to broadcast from Tahrir Square, the center of antigovernment protests, on Thursday. The Egyptian state news agency had earlier asked foreign reporters and crews to move out of the hotels near the square.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said it had received nearly 100 reports of damage to news organization property or of individuals being detained or attacked.

Source: The New York Times

Read More »Journalists Become Targets In Egypt