Channel 9 Ceased Functioning

Tamar Paradashvili, media.ge 

The main evening newscast of August 19 marked the ending of the year and a half broadcasting of Channel 9. Newsreader and General Director of the Channel Luba Eliashvili made one’s farewell during live air to the audience.

Prior to that, Luba Eliashvili stated during the program that the statement of PM Bidzina Ivanishvili’s family regarding the closure of Channel 9 and Info 9, was unexpected to the employees: “Nobody at the channel liked the idea of its closure. It’s hard to believe that anyone could have been pleased with the news. Yet the situation is clear for many reasons. It has been irritating for both you and I, that the issue of the Channel’s alienation was raised at every press-conference. The Prime-Minister most of the times was answering the question with angry tone, rather then calmly. That was the question our colleagues were asking all the time. That doesn’t go at variance with the legislation, but despite of the fact, they were convinced that the PM should have his own channel for the purposes of establishing democracy in the country. If the establishing of democracy in this country has really been important to him, we-the employees of Channel 9 and Info 9 have proved that we did indeed put our great efforts for that matter, and there are no doubts about that”- Eliashvili stressed, and expressed her viewpoint that the decision of the PM will be facilitate the development of democracy in the country, and that the professional journalists of the channel will be eager to work in a real democratic country.

Eliashvili as well stressed, that a journalist investigation had been preparing in regard to the rating of Channel 9. “We have checked the panel, which measures our rating. I really wanted that investigation to be shown by the channel, as according to all the criteria, internet counter included, it’s obvious that Channel 9 has become a very good and well rated television.”

FYO, the statement regarding the closure of Channel 9 made today, August 19, by the PM Bidzina Ivanishvili.

“ I’ve always believed that still do, that top officials of a country shouldn’t have their own televisions, despite the fact that it’s not forbidden by the legislation. Personally for me and my family that implies a great inconvenience, which I have stated a number of times. After winning the elections my family and I wanted to alienate the channel 9 and information agency Info 9, but due to our respect and a sense of responsibility towards the employees of those media outlets, we decided to prolong their functioning for another 10 months. During all that period we were seeking the buyer, which would bring the media outlets back to operation. On Friday of August 16, we got a refusal from the last potential buyer.”- reads the statement of Bidzina Ivanishvili.

The PM stated as well that he’s ready to sell the TV Company at 1/3 of the price in case a real buyer shows up.

“We’ll use the period starting from today, August 19, until September in order to alienate the media outlets. Now we are ready to sell the television and the information agency at 1/3 of the market price, together with its material-technical base, on condition that the new owner will re-launch the television and the employees maintain their jobs. In case no buyer shows up until September, we’ll be obliged then to cease the operation of both the Channel 9 and Info 9. Despite the fact the legislation doesn’t provide for compensation for the employees of a liquidated organization, my family and I have decided, nevertheless, to pay all the employees a two month compensation. I believe that I shouldn’t be helping the country by the money invested in television and media outlet, but rather by realizing more efficient projects.”

Tamta Janadze, reporter of the Channel 9 news program, stated during the newcast, that the information regarding the closure of the channel had been “a real shock to her”. “The idea of closing the channel didn’t even come to our minds, on the contrary, we were outlining future plans for the television, and I wanted to work on the enhancement of the information program,”- said the journalist.

Another employee of the Channel Nika Chalatashvili stated that he couldn’t blame the owner of the television either morally or emotionally, but that he’s still going to ask the PM a question: “ He[Bidzina Ivanishvili] said earlier, that the previous closure of Channel 9 had been a mistake, so perhaps he’s making another mistake now, and has he drawn any conclusions from the previous experience?”

The decision of Bidzina Ivanishvili is clear to Tina Bakuradze, reporter of Channel 9. She believes that was the demand of international organization, that the leader of a governmental coalition mustn’t have a television during the course of presidential elections.

Natia Rokva, correspondent of Channel 9 in Batumi, reported to Media.Ge, that she’s been expecting the given decision from the PM since the end of the parliamentary elections of October 2012.

“It’s an absurd that the PM would finance a television while its employees criticize the government,”- the journalist said.

Development Manager of Channel 9 Ramaz Samkharadze told Media.Ge, that on August 19, the employees themselves took the decision of closing the television, as everyone understands that nobody will buy it until September 1.

“I personally was a witness to several negotiations with foreign investors, which, as the situation shows, have been unsuccessful,” Samkharadze says. However, the decision of the PM has been unexpected for him, as they were planning to launch new projects in September.

“ I know that a contract has even been made with journalist Nana Lezhava, and she was supposed to host a new program. In addition, the realization of the UN funded project on gender issues has failed. The political debates, implied by the contract made with European Partnership Fund, are removed from the programming, and which were supposed to be hosted by Eka Beridze.” –Samkharadze said.

He further added that more than 500 staff members will lose their jobs, and that 14 local and 2 international bureaus are closing together with the central office.

According to the Public Registry, Luba Eliashvili is Director General of Channel 9, and 100% of the company is owned by Accept LLC. Kakha Kobiashili owns 20% of the company, and the rest 80% is under the ownership of Ekaterine Khvedelidze, spouse of the PM Bidzina Ivanishvili.