Georgia’s mass-media

The history of the Georgian periodical press numbers more than 180 years. A brief digression: the first Georgian weekly newspaper – an official publication of the local authorities – "Kartuli Gazeti" – was established in Tbilisi on March 8, 1819. In February 1846 a news agency was established under a chancellery of the Tsarist governor of Russia to Caucasus Mr. Vorontsov-Dashkov. The news agency was forerunner to present Information Agency "Sakinform". The agency provided official newspaper of the government "Zakavkazkiy Vestnik" (Trans-Caucasian Bulletin) with necessary information for mass readership. Sakinform was set up on March 3, 1921 and considered to be as one of the oldest news agencies in the South of Caucasus.

Modern mass-media of independent Georgia is manifold enough; it covers a number of new TV, radio and information structures. Quantity of journalist associations has recently increased considerably. New independent agencies, radio companies, newspaper and journals have been established. Such the diversity of the mass-media is indicative of freedom of speech in the country.

Above 150 newspapers and journals are published in Georgia at present, independent radio and TV companies are working in the country. The main newspapers are the following: "Sakartvelos Respublika" (in Georgian), "Svobodnaya Gruziya" ("Free Georgia", in Russian), newspapers named "Vrastan" (in Armenian) and "Gyurdjustan" (in Azeri) are published in Georgia for the Azeri and Armenian population living in the country. The radio transmissions are broadcasted in Georgian, Russian, Armenian and Azeri.

It is 73 years and 44 years as the Georgian radio and Georgian TV exist, respectively. Besides the state channel the Georgian TV also broadcast on independent channels. The radio and television broadcasts are inevitable essentials of the cultural live of the people.

Georgia’s mass-media broadly highlight all political, social, economic, cultural events in the state. It plays an important role in formation of the ideological awareness of the population. At the moment corresponding committees of the Georgian Parliament work on draft bill on Press that is intended to regulate rights and obligations of journalists, define role of the press in the country’s life.