„Media environment before and after 2021 elections: threats and supportive mechanisms” – this is the title of the study which Media and Communication Educational and Research Center (MCERC) presented on November 18. Study determined features which best corresponded with the 2021 elections media environment in Georgia. Research contains recommendations on creating a safe and supportive media environment, highlights threats and challenges that employees in the media sphere faced during the pre-& post-election period and attempts to answers the question of how much political polarisation and crises affect the media.
The presentation was attended by representatives of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation’s South Caucasus Office, media, NGO and academia, as well as students.
The event launched with opening remarks by the Head of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom South Caucasus Office Peter-Andreas Bochmann. Research findings were presented by the co-author of the study, MCERC chairwoman Professor Mariam Gersamia. The panel discussion took place with the co-author of the study and
MCERC board member, Professor Maia Toradze as its moderator. As part of the discussion panel, online media platform “publika.ge” editor Zura Vardiashvili talked about digital media environment and online media challenges during the election period. Natia Trapaidze, TV Channel “Mtavari” journalist talked about solidary media environment, importance of solidarity and existing challenges for its implementation. The head of the analytical and news sprograms Giorgi Targamadze of TV Channel “Formula” talked about political influence on media environment.
Panel Discussion was followed by questions and remarks from media, NGO and academia representatives, such as: “TV Pirveli” talk-show presenters Eka Mishveladze
and Vika Bukia; “Mtavari” talk-show presenter and a journalist Natia Gogsadze;
“Maestro TV” producer Tornike Koshkadze; Head of the news service of “palitraNews”
Eka Tsivtsivadze; editor of the online media “Tabula”, Ana Gvarishvili; "Gnomon Wise”
media researcher, David Kutidze; Media researcher from “Media Rights”, Eka Basilaia
and others.
At the end of the event Giorgi Targamadze and Zura Vardiashvili awarded MCERC interns with certificates. see the live stream of the event here: https://fb.watch/9q0R9ru-eX/
The study was conducted with the support of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation’s South Caucasus Office and the Federal Republic of Germany’s Federal Foreign Office.
You can access the online version of the research below
https://bit.ly/3HJ32CG
