In Georgia and Armenia, knowing who owns the media is not just a matter of curiosity — it is fundamental to ensuring pluralism, accountability, and public trust. Ownership shapes editorial choices, political narratives, and, ultimately, the quality and diversity of information available to citizens. Yet in both countries, media ownership remains opaque, often intertwined with political and business elites — a reality that makes transparency initiatives not just timely, but essential.
This year, a landmark workshop series titled ‘Media Transparency: Who Owns the Media?’ brought together journalists, researchers, and civil society representatives from both nations. Jointly organized by Global Media Registry (GMR), eduhub Armenia, and the Georgian Institute of Security Policy (GISP), the workshops offered a rare opportunity to exchange experience and expertise, while exploring the political, economic, and media dynamics shaping each country. By the end of the program, participants remarked that despite being neighbors, they had never before gained such a nuanced understanding of one another’s media and political environments.
The project, which was supported by the German Federal Foreign Office, aimed to develop local expertise in analyzing media ownership, build lasting professional networks between Georgian and Armenia, and to raise public understanding of why transparency is central to democracy. Crucially, it also equipped researchers and advocates with the tools to continue this work long after the workshops conclude.
The program unfolded in three carefully designed stages. It began in Yerevan, where, from 6–9 July 2025, a 3.5-day interactive workshop gathered around thirty participants. . Experts such as Dr. Leonard Novy and Nafisa Hasanova introduced practical tools, theoretical frameworks, and international examples for mapping media ownership. Participants examined their national contexts, identified key risks, and worked on a joint research framework — while also gaining a deeper understanding of the political and media realities on both sides of the border.
Simultaneously, the investigative journalism platform ‘Hetq’ led a detailed data collection and analysis effort in Armenia, examining legal and beneficial ownership, political affiliations, market influence, and transparency indicators. These findings were presented at a high level conference in Yerevan on October 22 and are now accessible to the public on the ‘Media Ownership Monitor Armenia’ platform, providing an unprecedented, data-driven view of who truly controls Armenian media, and how that ownership affects the flow of information.
The second stage took place in Tbilisi in September, where participants reviewed the Armenian findings, discussed how to engage broader audiences, and considered what lessons could guide Georgia’s own transparency efforts. Just as importantly, the meeting helped establish durable professional ties and a sense of shared purpose between Armenian and Georgian participants.
Dr Leonard Novy — political analyst, consultant, and one of the initiators of the ‘Who Owns the Media’ initiative — underlined that media ownership is not a technical matter, but a democratic one. “It shapes what information is amplified, whose voices are heard, and ultimately how power is held to account,” he said. Novy noted that while Armenia and Georgia differ in context, both operate within media systems marked by opacity, loopholes, and elite control. “Our workshop participants did not just diagnose the problems,” he added. “They also collaborated on potential solutions — from youth-focused educational initiatives to institutional reforms designed to safeguard transparency and pluralism.”
Looking ahead, Novy outlined the project’s next steps: “Independent media face immense challenges everywhere. Political, technological, and economic pressures often converge — critical outlets lose advertising due to political influence, while their business models are undermined by social media monopolies. This workshop series created a regional space to address these issues and establish a lasting expert network for a more transparent and resilient media environment.” One promising direction, he said, is the expansion of the Media Ownership Monitor (MOM). Already active in Armenia, the MOM platform exists in multiple countries, including Germany — and its logical next step is Georgia.
“Replicating Armenia’s success,” Novy explained, “would allow us to create a comprehensive, data-driven picture of media influence across the South Caucasus.”
Olaf Steenfadt, Founder and Managing Director of GMR, echoed that assessment. “Globalization has reshaped the media industry like every other — leading to greater concentration of ownership and the dominance of digital technologies, trends that recognize no borders,” he said. What impressed him most was how little professionals in Armenia and Georgia had known about each other’s media realities, and how eager they were to exchange insights. “That, to me, is one of the project’s greatest achievements: building and sustaining networks of like-minded professionals who can learn from one another.”
Reflecting on the broader challenges, Steenfadt added: “Journalism faces immense pressure worldwide, though in varying forms. Yet the essential challenges remain the same: finding sustainable models, safeguarding independence, and resisting political or economic coercion. Given the dedication and resilience we’ve seen in this region, the reinvention of journalism may well happen here faster and more dynamically than in the safer, more saturated media markets of the global North.”
By combining rigorous research, international expertise, and genuine cross-border collaboration, the ‘Who Owns the Media?’ project marks a meaningful step toward greater transparency, accountability, and democratic participation in Georgia and Armenia. It builds capacity, strengthens regional networks, and reinforces a shared commitment to a more open, pluralistic, and resilient media environment — one that belongs not to elites, but to the public it serves.
By Ana Dumbadze
