Media Restrictions on Radio Imedi

Eka Kevanishvili, Tbilisi

“The restrictions will be imposed on Imedi in the nearest future,” states Nona Kandiashvili,

Already Irakli Khetereli, Director General of the Radio “Imedi” and Nona Kandiashvili, its broadcasting director are jobless.

“I opened a door to journalism and I want to have this door open,” states Nino Gabriadze, new general director of radio Imedi.
 
The Georgian media considers the change of administration in radio Imedi in the best case scenario as radio is now under the censorship, or in worse case the death notice of Imedi. These conclusions were based on the recent appointment of Nino Gabriadze as its new general director. Nino Gabradze, a journalist had been known by the society (mainly among journalists) sometimes as a head and sometimes a representative of various state institutions, including PR departments: She was the head of a Press Department in the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources when Davit Tkeshelashvili served as the Minister. She also worked in the Press Department of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection. Nino Gabriadze used to work also with the Minister of Regional Management Davit Tkeshelashvili, as the head of the Press Department again. Gabriadze’s pre-Imedi career, meaning her close connection with governmental bodies raises many flags to the Georgian press. The journalists ask why the person with such past came to Imedi, the same radio that used to cover the news in all of Georgia and was considered to be one of the most neutral media source. Will Nino Gabriadze, a person who is so closely connected with high-ranking governmental officials place stumbling bocks for the opportunity to have critical opinions or not? Critical opinion is what all media sources lack the most.

Gabriadze herself states that she is not planning to impose any restrictions on the radio programming. Moreover, she says that when she decided to become the head of radio Imedi she closed the door to governmental bodies and opened a door to journalism: “I want to keep this opened at all times. My principle will be one of neutrality, fairness and always publicizing balanced view of information. I am not planning to dismiss anyone from the staff unless somebody leaves the job on their own. Today Kakha Kukava, one of oppositional leaders will appear in one of our programs and talk about the beating of those people whose names were publicized by Davit Gamkrelidze today. We shall address the Ministry of Internal Affairs and if they wish we shall take their comments. If not Kakha Kukava will be the only one to talk about incident.”

The employees of the radio have already met the new general director. It is difficult for them to talk if Imedi will change its course or not. For instance, Lela Gabechava, an employee of radio Imedi who has worked there for a long time states that the staff works normally without any interruptions by the new administration, and especially in light of having a new director in their work place.

Nona Kandiashvili, former head radio Imedi Broadcasting makes see things in a negative light.  Joseph Keyes, the new owner of Imedi informed Nona Kandiashvili and Irakli Khetereli, former general director of radio Imedi on their dismissal this last Friday. Keiyes stated that they were released from their positions because of the reorganization of radio and TV Imedi.

The meeting on Friday with Joseph Keyes was preceded by Kandiashvili’s meeting with Keyes back April: “Kei asked about the problems. I said that we were unable to broadcast on the whole territory of Georgia because of financial problems. He solved this problem in two weeks. He said that the radio had to be balanced and there were no other rebukes.
Maybe Keyes thought that I was holding meetings with the staff and giving them some instructions but it was untrue. Only professionals work in there and my interference, planning every news program was not necessary.

The fact is that the society should be able to receive full information from us, and this is unlike other media sources. We publicized the information that was neglected by other radios and TV stations

Therefore I think that very soon restrictions will be imposed on Imedi. Perhaps the programs will remain but their content will change. You will not hear analysis of current situation in the radio any more. Radio Imedi was in fact the last beacon of objective information left in Georgia. You will all feel it soon when the informational vacuum is real in the country,” states Kandiashvili.

The radio continues its broadcasting. The only thing the society can do in this situation is to be more cautious than it used to be and observe attentively that the free door of journalism has not totally slammed shut for Georgian society.