Television – In Service of Government

Saba Tsitsikashvili, Gori

Most villages of Gori district get information from national TV-channels. People complain that TV-stations do not highlight local problems. Residents of the village of Dvani think journalists get interested about their problems only when somebody is kidnapped or something is exploded in the village.

“Nobody cares about it… Journalists have not visited our village yet. You should come and stay in our village for one day and night; you will witness yourself what we eat and how we sleep. We are so close to the conflict zone that they can kill entire village in one night and people in Gori will not learn about it on time,” said Besarion Makhachashvili when he arrived in Gori together with his neighbors. Residents of Dvani village were waiting for Shida Kartli regional governor from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Neither TV-channels nor Radio Stations came to highlight their demonstration. Consequently, nobody learned that regional governor arrived at the office at 2:00 pm. Journalists for the local TV-Station “Trialeti” followed the governor. Owner of the TV-station Badri Nanetashvili is deputy regional governor. Pro-governmental journalists spread information on “Trialeti TV” and local Radio Station that regional governor arrived at the demonstration 20 minutes later.

On June 1, regional governor promised residents of Dvani village to visit their village within 10 days and talk with them. He had promised to give compensations and humanitarian aid to the villagers in August of 2009 but did not keep promise. After August, the villagers went to Tbilisi on foot in protest but they were sent back under force. The pro-governmental media sources ended the news on the fact as follows – residents of the Dvani village went back being promised the regional governor would visit their village. However, they did not mention the governor had to visit their village on June 10 and had to distribute compensations in August…

We have found out that nobody has visited the village of Dvani yet – neither regional governor, nor his journalists and nor food was supplied to villagers … Residents of Dvani saw officials on TV open Tbilisi-Senaki central motorway in Gori district and speak about the development of the country with happy smile.

As we have seen in the case of Dvani village, the pro-governmental media sources spread false information. The only media-source which witnessed the fact was journalist of the Gori office of the Human Rights Center who impartially described what had happened on that day and onwards. Journalists of the pro-governmental media sources did not show how the journalist of the Human Rights Center was beaten in front of the villagers; he was not allowed into the building. With the support of people, the journalist managed to enter the building of regional administration but journalists from other media sources failed to notice it.