Sacking Adjara TV’s former director brings attention to ongoing scandal surrounding the channel
By Anastasia Sokhadze
Thursday, February 27
The negative feedback sur¬rounding dubious changes in the industry had shed some light on the attitude toward journalists. Adjara TV’s repu¬tation had been built with the help of its former director Na¬tia Kapanadze, and after her unfortunate impeachment, the situation started to deteriorate.
Giorgi Kokhreidze, the cur¬rent director, has been said to be censored by the journalists’ ‘criticizing speech.’ This says a lot, considering the fact that many of his representatives had complained about the not-so-pleasing attitude their boss had been showing.
Natia Zoidze, Deputy Direc¬tor, announced that she had been under pressure ever since the new director came. The contract conditions had been changed, consequently making Zoidze leave.
“Reporters Without Borders is concerned about the latest example of pressure in Georgia that subverts political pluralism and freedom of speech in this very country – Natia Zoidze had left,” the organization noted in its statement. Natia Zoidze spoke up on her Facebook page, stating that she had to leave.
Another employee, Nino Khozrevanidze, amid the cur¬rent events, left in protest.
“Mr. George, if I had thought that you are damaging the broadcaster unconsciously, I would have tried to talk to you, but I am convinced that you have been destroying the idea deliberately. This process is so irreversible that I no longer have the will to stay under your rule,” she stated later.
People urge the television ad¬visory to cease any action aimed at restricting the independence of journalists and interfering with the policy. They also sug¬gest investigating possible pres¬sures on journalists and taking an interest in the events taking place.
It is already clear by now that the purpose of the current processes is to change the edito¬rial policy of the channel. The members of the government contribute to the further escala¬tion of the situation and do not protect the rights of journalists. Using more conscientious ways to obtain power would most definitely prevent chaos. Giorgi Kokhreidze sees his unpleasant techniques as the only vessel through which he can achieve his goal, and it has to be nul¬lified.
Giorgi Kokhreidze has been selected as the director six months after Natia Kapanasze’s impeachment. Essentially, he did not get the recognition he was hoping for and got zero, zero and two votes throughout three sessions. Eventually, he beat his opponents and was selected as the official director for three years. Prior to that, he was a member of the Parlia¬ment of Georgia(1999-2004), Director of the TV company 202 (2005-2014), and a member of the Georgian Public Broad-caster(2014-2018).
