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Studio “Maestro” Demands Guarantees

November 29, 2007
Why has “Maestro” suspended broadcasting?

After law enforcers called the studio several times, “Maestro” suspended broadcasting. The analytical project “Profession of Journalist” was cancelled. The journalists working on the project are not going to give in. They will use all legal resources to resume the project.

One of the authors and TV presenter of the project, who is also a journalist for Radio “Tavisupleba” stated in his conversation with the Human Rights Center that the program was completely apolitical and analytical. It would have four presenters - Tamar Chikovani, Ia Antadze, Zviad Koridze and Aleksandre Elisashvili. The program would have been on during the whole week including the weekend. “Approximately one hour before we had to start the program, Mamuka Ghlonti, the head of the Studio “Maestro” was called by the cable TV provider which broadcasts “Maestro” and they informed us that they had to shut the studio down. They said that law enforcers had called them and categorically demanded the discontinuation of broadcasting by “Maestro”, said Elisashvili.

Aleksandre Elisashvili would have been the first presenter of the program. “The program had been prepared during the whole day; a TV camera was following me and shooting what I was doing. In the evening the program would have turned into a talk show and the main topic of the program would have been the freedom of expression. I was doing my make-up when Mamuka Ghlonti entered the room and told me the news. I could not believe him; I asked him several times whether he was joking or not. Nevertheless twenty minutes before the program was to start they shut down broadcasting. According to legislation, if the law is breached a TV station should be warned and then it must be fined. However, our transmission was suspended without any warning and unprejudiced reasons. All the equipment was turned off so they cannot blame the equipment for the suspension. We will use all legal resources to resume the program. We are not going to give in,” said Elisashvili.

One of the guests of the program would have been journalist Eliso Chafidze from newspaper “Resonance”. “When I arrived at the TV Station I learned about the interruption of broadcasting. I hope everything will be clarified. If the incident was connected to the program, then that is terrible. I would consider that to be one more case of violating the rights of mass media. Personally, I am really very concerned about the incident. Nobody intended to speak about politics in that program. It was completely analytical and we were going to speak about the rights of the media according to Georgian legislation. It is too difficult for me to understand how this program could have been unacceptable and dangerous for someone. Such incidents reflect negatively on the image of the government and I cannot understand why they need to act in this way,” said Chafidze.

Another presenter of the program, Tamar Chikovani, who is also a journalist for Radio “Tavisupleba”, stated that the authors of the project decided from the very beginning that the program should have be a form of civic education. “I can tell you the context of my program which would have been aired today. I had already arranged a live conversation with the secretary of the Central Election Commission, who would speak about technical issues concerning the elections. For example, where should a citizen check his/her name on the list of the voters, whether there would be additional lists; where people, who are not registered in Tbilisi but reside in Tbilisi, should vote… in short, we were going to discuss the most problematic issues for people. Another topic was the constitution - what the constitution is; what rights we have according to the constitution; etc. Unfortunately, TV stations pay little attention to such issues. This was the main reason we decided to provide people with that information in this way. The principal point is that we did not plan to invite politicians to our program; our guests would be experts. Nowadays nobody should be surprised at anything anymore; though I am still surprised our broadcasting was ceased in this way without any warning; it is shameful, not even mentioning other factors. Although we were called before the incident and we were threatened with discontinuation of broadcasting unless we canceled the program, we hoped we could have managed to work for a short time at least,” said Chikovani.

Mamuka Ghlonti, the head of Studio "Maestro" said that he had been called some time before the program was to start and he was advised to cancel the program. If he did not obey the order they threatened to cease broadcasting. Mamuka Ghlonti refuses to name the people who called him; he said that if he gives the name of the person who warned him, this person would face problems from the people who oppress him. After we were shut down, I managed to get in touch with Cable TV Provider “Global TV”, but before it was impossible for me to call them.”

Mamuka Ghlonti had managed to get in touch with the “Global TV’ fifteen minutes before the Human Rights Center started an interview with him. They explained Ghlonti that the delay was caused due to technical reasons but the head of Studio “Maestro” does not believe this. It would be too much of a coincidence. “Although “Global” promised to restore the transmission I am not going to start broadcasting until I receive a guarantee that our studio will not resemble a circus and we will not face similar problems before broadcasting,” said Ghlonti.

Unfortunately, the Human Rights Center could not get in touch with “Global TV”; they did not answer any phone calls.

As for the National Commission for Georgian Communications, Giorgi Ratishvili, the head of the Commission for Broadcasting Regulations, stated that private company “Global TV” provided the transmission for private company “Maestro” and the Regulations Commission has never interfered in their cooperation. “If somebody accuses us that the Commission had anything to do with the delay of “Maestro” broadcasting, I would state that it is false. We have not given directives to either side regarding suspending broadcasting,” said Ratishvili.

It is worth to mention that “Maestro” resumed broadcasting at 3:30 PM, but Mamuka Ghlonti stated that they are not going to start working: “We should receive guarantees from “Global TV” and we should find out from the National Commission for Georgian Communications which law we were breaching when transmitting and if so why they did not send an official notification to our office. Why are our rights violated and are we not allowed to show such programs when I received a license for analytical programs. If they prove that I have breached the law I should say that I am a very obedient person and I will abide by the “verdict’,” said the head of Studio “Maestro”.

Nino Tarkhnishvili, Tbilisi


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