Georgia’s Communications Commission has issued formal written warnings to Imedi TV, Postv, TV Company Pirveli, and Formula for breaching provisions of the Law on Broadcasting.
Regulator says monitoring conducted between February and March revealed multiple violations across the channels’ news programming. These included the expression of personal opinions by presenters and reporters, as well as failures to meet legal standards of impartiality, balance, and factual accuracy.
The Commission identified four violations at Imedi TV, where presenters were found to have delivered news content influenced by personal attitudes. Postv was cited for seven violations, primarily involving the improper expression of opinions and insufficiently accurate reporting.
A significantly higher number of violations were recorded at TV Pirveli and Formula. TV Pirveli was found to have committed 18 violations, including one-sided reporting, reliance on personal viewpoints, and breaches of accuracy requirements. Formula accounted for 20 violations, largely linked to a lack of impartiality and balance, with coverage frequently reflecting only one side of an issue.
Under Georgian broadcasting legislation, news and socio-political programming must not be based on personal opinions or attitudes. The law requires broadcasters to ensure balanced reporting and factual accuracy in order to safeguard editorial standards and protect viewers’ right to receive objective information.
The Commission also noted that amendments to the Law on Broadcasting came into force on April 1, 2025. During a transitional period lasting until June 1, 2025, violations were reviewed without the application of sanctions.
As none of the broadcasters had been penalized for similar violations over the past year, the Commission opted to issue written warnings rather than impose further measures.
