The ruling Georgian Dream party is again introducing amendments to the Law on Broadcasting, including changes related to foreign funding, access to financial information and penalties for prohibited financing.
One of the proposed changes would lift restrictions on specialized broadcasters receiving funding from a foreign power. Under the amendments, the ban would no longer apply to broadcasters focused mainly on sports, educational, entertainment or other single-theme programming.
The draft states that it would remain prohibited for broadcasters, except specialized broadcasters, to receive direct or indirect funding “from a foreign power,” except in cases of commercial advertising, teleshopping, sponsorship and product placement.
The amendments also expand the powers of the Georgian National Communications Commission to obtain financial information.
The explanatory note says the Commission would be able, through court authorization, to request information about transfers linked to individuals who may have indirectly financed media service providers or video-sharing platforms.
Under the proposal, broadcasters and video-sharing platform providers would be required to provide the Commission with requested information related to their activities, including compliance with Georgian legislation, licensing conditions, copyright requirements and information about direct or indirect financing, including confidential banking information protected under Georgian law.
If the requested confidential information is not fully provided, the Commission would be authorized to request the information directly from commercial banks or microbanks through procedures established by the Administrative Procedure Code of Georgia.
Another amendment introduces a mechanism for transferring prohibited funding received by a broadcaster to the state budget.
The draft states that if illegal funding is identified, the Commission would impose liability on the broadcaster and require the transfer of the funds to the state budget. If the decision is not enforced within the established deadline, the National Bureau of Enforcement would ensure implementation.
