Name of Org. What you did Summary Your advice on what we need to do Est.

Budget
GEORGIAN PRESS
24 HOURS
Georgian and English edition. It’s
pretty dull visually.
Its inserts tend to be more
independent than the paper itself
It is read by the government and
indeed survives by carrying
government tenders.
The current initiative has been
rejected because he is too
expensive, blaming publishers.
Met Rizo Getiashvili, an editor.
Discussed ways of brightening up
the output and showed BBC clips.
. reply from a ministry, this is
Georgian press had no interest
in being original let alone critical.
Talked of ‘one-day journalism’
where the job is so badly paid
(as low as 10 GEL per article)
that no-one spends any time on
doing anything in depth.
There is also a cut and paste
mentality – get a story maybe
from an agency like Interpress
and slap it in. (See below)
You can wait two months for a
actionable.
Need lawyers to force the
government to work to the
transparency laws – money
could well be spent there.
After the idea of a legal network to
support journalists in their pursuit
of information, Rizo appeared a
few days later with a representative
from the Centre for the Protection
of Constitutional Rights.
This is the first new project idea.
Rizo and his colleague have
been asked to produce a
document but will need more
guidance from Tbilisi team.

KVIRIS PALITRA
Met Nona Kvlividze who is a Very brief meeting, nothing to
contributor and who also works report.
for Business Courier.

Probably the most respected weekly.

It also pays more for articles than
most other press.
ENGLISH PRESS
GEORGIAN MESSENGER
English language daily, 3,000 copies.
Staff (reportedly badly paid and
treated) of 7.
One of the most respected papers
and websites in Georgia for English
speakers in Georgia and abroad.
Interesting on the arrogance of
government and how they don’t feel
they need to pay great attention to
the press – though this might be
changing now.
Met Zaza Gachechiladze Editor in
Chief
He trained in financial journalism
at Reuters sponsored by the
Reuters Foundation.
He is a friend of Sakashvili since
school.
Believes CSPPR could be
politically effective and hugely
beneficial, to Georgians and
Georgia.
‘The elections were democratic
but unfair.’
He said that Sashkavili just Would be a good consultant on
doesn’t read the papers. Why? either the sponsored agency idea,
Because he’s stupid. If he had or the legal advisory group.
read the papers he would have
seen all the trouble coming and Useful to talk to not in translation
there would have been no need and a very useful contact. Also
for November clampdown. He would be nice to have dinner with
banned his officials’ newspaper him sometime.
allowance. He probably watches
TV.
.
Spring, in run up to
Parliamentary election, will be a
good time to see what
budgetary promises are made
and how money is being spent.
There’s always a supplementary
budget which the President
makes up as he needs money.
Financial Police, now relieved of
election duties, are
concentrating on where the
treasury money has gone amid
stories of no cash left and illegal
election expenses..
Very much liked the idea of an
agency providing budget
analysis and stories but worried
tat they’d sell the new content at
a premium.
TELEVISION
BUSINESS COURIER
Rustavi 2 popular daily business
show popular.
Born out of now defunct 60 minutes
investigative show.
Disappointingly not desperate for
anything too investigative because of
time, expertise, but mainly because
of the censorship of Rustavi 2
owners who had pulled some
challenging budgetary stories.
Pretty dismissive in that he The magazine idea which is worth
assumes budget coverage following up.
usually means investigation and
there’s no call for that especially Magazines are popular and would
from the owners of Rustavi 2. have space and illustrative
expertise to tackle budgetary
Agreed there would be likely matters.
strong debate and coverage
during the elections. Akaki is a very personable and
would be a good spokesman
Confirmed financial journalistic maybe for us.
Met Akaki Gdglchaishvili. skill shortages.
Presenter. Would certainly cover our story
Obvious obfuscation and Whenever we wanted.
incompetence from government
departments to reveal detailed Compile magazine list and meet
information. magazine targets.
Very comfortable with concept of
a grant supported news agency
offering budget stories esp. with
real people. It would get
coverage everywhere.
Suggested targeting magazines
– cheaper, lots of space.
University professors and as
business people join
government officials with
reluctance to appear because it
could be ‘career threatening’.
IMEDI TV
Private network, closed by authorities
in November 2007.
Thought to be re-opening Jan 2008,
but new court orders have supported
the continued seizure of equipment.
I would of thought very unlikely to
open until after May Parliamentary
elections.
NOTE: MD of Rezonance has been
appointed MD of Imedi.
News Corp, currently managers, are
thinking of buying.
MONITOR
Independent Studio from where Nino
Zuriashvilli is an accomplished
investigative film maker. and helped
create 60 minutes, the country’s first
investigative strand, on Rustavi2,
now scrapped.
Deals with human rights, torture,
corruption.
Met Levan Tabidze,
Reporter
Bit junior but no-one senior would
meet probably due to imminent
purchase by News Corp. and
returning to air.
Met Nino Zuriashvilli and went
through BBC clips.
She operates in social issues –
human rights, torture, health.
Thought News Corp purchase Very useful identification that so
was a good thing - strength in many budget stories begin with
depth and all that. opposition comment – this is going
to be even more so in the run up to
People and the government parliamentary elections.
identified the station with the
opposition but he had Useful contact but really need to
experienced no editorial hit someone higher after re-
interference. launch and new ownership.
Budget stories not reported by
specialists, and there’s no time
– he has to prepare a piece in
an hour all himself
Privatization was the biggest
financial story – 4 hospitals were
sold off for $1000. Also the fear
of increasing Russian
ownership.
Budget stories tend to be
sparked off by opposition
statements and opposition press
conferences.
Rustavi 2 has taken Imedi staff
and audience since closure.
Told story that children were
dying of leukemia because a Not sure other than to trust her
leukemia centre was being instincts.
threatened with closure because
it was owned by someone
critical of the government. She is submitting three
documentary ideas which I
Amazingly low costs of filming – should maybe cast an eye over.
Reporter 500 EU per month;
Editor andcCamerman 300.
RUSTAVI 2
Producing a weekly lively studio
show for Rustavi 2. Good quality,
audience, feedback etc.
MZE
TV Station founded in 2003 and owned
by Rustavi 2. Reach = 3.5%.
WEBSITES
SARKE
Mailnly Economics and Business and
public finance.
Cost $100 per month.
15 people of whom 7-8 understand
economics.
Met Nene Kvinikadze and
Naniko Khazaradz who produce
weekly talk show on social
matters
Went through showreel which
brought great interest.
Cancelled at last minute of last day.
Met Eka Jananashvili
an editor
Up-market English Russian and
Georgian.
1,000 individuals and media p
day.
They have a set-up that could be
Their psychiatric subject matter turned to, perhaps, an economics-
was a bit off-beam, but they grounded show.
confirmed all the other
judgments on the state of Young team, feels good. Perhaps a
Georgian press and TV. series of election specials. A big call
but they would be up to it.
Get back to them.
Information comes from their Invite to any new website
own journalists in Parliament – funding initiative and remember
several journalists sharing out as a pool of some specialism.
the ministries between them.
Transparency depends on
sensitivity – can be hard. But
correspondents not always
specialists.
Analysis has dropped off. But
planning more.
PRESS.GE
Run by three guys and a girl from a
scrappy undecorated flat. Been going
only three months.
2,500 hits a day. 25% abroad.
Bit of a lash-up but hitting out and good
journalistic instincts.
Mostly political, new website. Has an
investigative feel
Can’t even afford the travel, the
laptops nor even the mobile pone
charges to travel to investigate a
story anywhere.
CIVIL.GE
Set up in 2001, by far best website
around. Respected. Set up
alongside, but not beholden to UN
Assoc of Georgia.
5 people. 3 journos all writing in
Georgian, Russian and English.
Met the whole team and talked
through the two ideas of a
subsidised news agency and a
legal grouping to advise on rights.
Web lash-up – founder also
founded the Christian Democrat
Party. Says he’s independent.
Met Giorgi Sepashvili, young
editor-In-Chief and the very plush
offices.
He explained that he was seeking
to become at least 20% self-
sufficient within two years by
taking ads. For this he wanted
more business and economics
news.
These are the new generation
who have grown up with the
current politcians.
Story: Rumors that a farm
subsidy had just gone into giving
tractors to the local governor,
who had sold them. No chance
to investigate.
Best agency – Georgian Hot
News.
Giogi is a cool guy. Says there
just aren’t the resources, never
mind the skills. No-one to send
on a course.
Ministries don’t return calls. But
Civil.ge has the intl. audience as
well as the domestic.
Intrigued to see what kind of
apartments the people who had
donated so much to the election
lived in. So good instinct.
Experienced journalists cost
$7K a year.
Liked the legal idea if fees weren’t
involved, but stressed case for
personal contact.
But say that only if International
Journalists are involved, Inst of Intl.
Journalists, would the government
take any notice.
Bring into legal initiative
discussion.
Encourage woman journalist to
take the training.
Short term –allow Giorgi to hire
someone during the
parliamentary elections with a
brief to cover public finance row.
Must be a linguist – he says he
can find someone.
Long term – talk about moving
into multi-media – webcam,
video, ausio, blogs.
Giorgi should go on the course
right away.
KEEP PESTERING.
AGENCIES
INTERPRESS
Biggest agency . 2-3 people working
in finance. 40 total.
Ec0onomic news has 150
subscribers including media
organisation, the government and
corporations.
PRIME NEWS
Founded 1997. providing large
media companies with political,
economic and business news.
Met Andrei Jupalakian
‘There’s no economy in Georgia,
so there’s nothing to report’.
Despite this Interpress is
obviously trying to cover
economics and business and is
planning a dedicated section.
TV companies work outside the
usual press….have their own
contacts.
How budget money is spent is
not open.
Likes idea of agency support. –
already planning a bus/econ
dept. and there are some econ.
Journalists
Apart from the general agency
idea, Interpress could be
persuaded immediately to do
one-to-one interviews with key
politicians in the run up to
elections. Currently they rely on
press conferences.
Obviously a target for any
agency initiative especially as
they are already carrying
pictures and some graphics.
Contact re agency idea.
GEORGIAN HOT BEWS
Since 2005, providing news to
Georgian and foreign media
agencies, state, embassies, banks
and investment houses.
RADIO
GREEN WAVE
Radio station already broadcasting
one hour a week on Friday evenings
on public finance.
Didn’t get a chance to meet
anyone, but must be a player in
any agency subsidy initiative.
Highly recommended by other
media.
Met Maka Djakhua, Eka
Pirtskhalva
$45kpa
Usually one expert, answering
readers letters, e-mails and live
calls.
Contact re agency idea.
There’s been trouble with Green
Wave but to me they looked
slick and had all the bases
covered. Downloads, re-
listening, message board etc …
might have been an act after
recent trouble.
Could put two lightweight cameras
I suspect the problem is one of in the studio if someone will
pretty dull content. broadcast it.
Liked agency idea, but don’t Next sep to enforce them to
expect TV channels to follow. bring more people into the
studio.