IMEDI BACK ON THE AIR, MICHNIK AND MONITORS IN PLACE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 003092

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SIPDIS

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FOR EUR/CARC, EUR/PPD AND DRL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KPAO GG PHUM
SUBJECT: IMEDI BACK ON THE AIR, MICHNIK AND MONITORS IN PLACE



1. (SBU) Summary. After 34 days off the air due to a governmental
shutdown, Imedi, Georgia's most popular television network, resumed
full broadcasting on the evening of December 12, 2007. While some
technical difficulties remain, Imedi is broadcasting nationally and
by satellite to London and Moscow. Their first evening of
programming kicked off with an hour-long, emotional, and somewhat
provocative recounting of the events of November 7, 2007, when the
station was raided by Interior Ministry forces and shut down. Imedi
does not appear to have changed its largely anti-government
editorial policy, and Giorgi Targamadze, their politicized anchor
and chief editor, remains in control of the station's editorial
policy. On December 13, Polish journalist and politician, Adam
Michnik, returned to Tbilisi and held a press conference to announce
he was beginning his work as a media ombudsman and to introduce the
members of his media advisory group which will monitor news
broadcasts of five television stations and all of the major
newspapers. End Summary.

IMEDI IS BACK AND HITS BACK
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2. (U) Imedi resumed its broadcast with the 8 p.m., one-hour Kronika
news program with emotional video footage of the November 7 events
against a jarring audio backdrop of the song "Everything Is Going
to Be Fine," interspersing images of the police crackdown on
protesters with the smiling faces of children playing at the Imedi
premises. Kronikia started off with Imedi replaying footage of its
last minutes on air on November 7, featuring a drawn Targamadze
announcing the police raid and going off the air. After a brief
pause, Targamadze appeared live in the Kronika studio, saying:
"Imedi is back on Georgian television. The uninvited guests have
left the studio. We hope to be the last journalists to be forced out
of a TV studio at gun point." Imedi reporters and cameramen
recounted physical abuse they were subjected to by the police on
November 7. According to them, 30 Imedi reporters and cameramen were
injured that day. Interspersed throughout the program were
statements by Georgian officials publicly accusing Imedi of
"escalating tensions." Later in the evening, Imedi ran a special
talk show with Imedi staff and public figures talking about the
closure and resumption of broadcast at the station. After the
initial report their reporting was balanced.


3. (SBU) The head of the Imedi TV Information Service confirmed to
the Embassy that the station will offer limited news programming for
the next two months, with thirty minutes of news every three hours
during the day and the one-hour Kronika at 8 p.m. Five days a week
Imedi will run Ghia Eteri, a political talk show at 11 p.m. and
Targamadze will host the weekly Droeba show on Sunday evenings.


4. (SBU) Surprisingly, Georgian media reaction to Imedi's reopening
was muted. Having covered Imedi's shutdown extensively, the
country's leading newspapers did not include articles or editorials
on the topic of its reopening, with the exception of a front page
article in the (low circulation) English-language daily "Georgian
Messenger" and an interview with Imedi TV's lawyer published in
daily pro-reform Resonance. None of the Television news shows
carried stories about Imedi.

WHAT DIRECTION WILL IMEDI TAKE NOW?
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5. (SBU) According to Lewis Robertson, Imedi General Manager and CEO
of News Corp Caucasus, Targamadze, Anchor and Director of Imedi TV
Political Programs, and the news staff wanted to devote their first
four hours on air to the events of November 7, but he insisted on a
one-hour limit. But in recent newspaper and television interviews,
Robertson has stressed that Imedi will not change its editorial
policy. "We never did anything wrong a month ago. We never called
to overthrow the government. We have video tapes of what was said
and what was not said. If the government does something good, we
will say that that is good, but if the government does something
bad, we will say that that is bad." Targamadze will be on air less,
but will remain the primary political editor, with the
responsibility to determine editorial policy.


6. (SBU) It appears that News Corp may not technically have any
ownership in Imedi, and that Badri Patarkatsishvili, a declared
presidential candidate, remains the primary owner, but Robertson
stressed that News Corp has a contract and power of attorney to
manage the station, and that he would not allow Patarkatsishvili to
direct the station.


7. (U) The campaign spokesman for the National Movement Davit
Bakradze, the State Minister For Conflict Resolution who is on a
leave of absence to serve as the campaign spokesman, made a public
statement welcoming Imedi back on air, while noting its unclear
ownership. He promised that Government officials "will continue
cooperation with Imedi TV journalists".


TBILISI 00003092 002 OF 002


MEDIA MONITORING: MICHNIK ARRIVES, SETS UP SHOP
-------------- --


8. (SBU) Adam Michnik, the new media ombudsman for Georgia, arrived
back in Tbilisi on December 12 and on December 13 held a press
conference to announce he will begin monitoring five Georgian
television stations during the election campaign to be able to
report on media bias in their reporting. His group will monitor the
television newscasts of Imedi, Rustavi 2, Mze, Public television,
and Kavkasia. These are four of the five national stations,
representing both pro-government and pro-opposition views, and a
small anti-government station that broadcasts only in Tbilisi. They
will also monitor the seven major newspapers in Georgia. He
announced the formation of his media advisory council, consisting of
seven prominent Georgian journalists and experts: journalists Lasha
Tugushi, Zviad Koridze, and David Paichadze, think tank leaders
Alexander Rondeli and Gia Nodia, and public figures Levan Khetaguri,
Nato Murvanidze. Two of these experts are also members of the Media
Council (see below).

THE GEORGIAN MEDIA COUNCIL
--------------


9. (SBU) The Georgian Media Council, established three years ago as
a European initiative but inactive for years, has now resumed its
functions. On November 28, the Media Council, together with NGO
community representatives, developed 12 recommendations for media to
ensure fair and objective coverage of presidential elections. The
document was signed by its Chairman, Gigi Tevzadze, Rector of
Chavchavadze State University; by journalists Paata Veshapidze,
Ninia Kakabadze, Eka Kvesitadze, David Paichadze, as well as NGO
directors Ghia Nodia, of the Caucasus Institute for Peace,
Democracy and Development, and Levan Ramishvili, of the Liberty
Institute. One of the recommendations calls for pre-election
monitoring of the broadcast media. The first findings of the
monitoring group are to be announced on Friday, Dec 14.

ONE MORE MONITOR TOO
--------------


10. (SBU) Also on December 13 OSCE and ODIHR announced they are
setting up a media monitoring group to oversee the Georgian media
during the election campaign. Rasto Kuzel, a Czech media analyst
and NGO leader (Memo 98),and his staff of five have already begun
their work.


11. (SBU) Comment. Thanks in large part to USG and EU efforts, Imedi
is back on the air. Clearly all parties recognize the importance of
the media in this election campaign and are doing what they can to
monitor reporting. Right now it is not clear how the various
parties will work together. End Comment.

TEFFT