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Tuesday, October 23, 2007, #202 (1469)
Rustavi 2, one of the country’s leading television channels, has a new chief. Irakli Chikovani will replace Koba Davarashvili as the station’s director general, Rustavi 2 announced Sunday. Rustavi 2 offered little explanation for the change, saying only that Davarashvili is returning to his business interests. Davarashvili replaced Nika Tabatadze as director general in August 2006, provoking an outcry from a number of journalists who claimed Tabatadze’s dismissal was inappropriate. At least six Rustavi 2 reporters and producers quit in protest. Davarashvili was alleged to be linked to Giorgi Arveladze, then a close presidential aide, prompting rumors that the replacement was politically motivated. Rustavi 2 is known for being friendlier to the current government than its main competitor, Imedi TV. “In the past two weeks we have not heard a single argument justifying the decision to sack Nika Tabatadze,” Dudu Kurdgelia, a producer at the station, commented at the time. “We had to make a choice between professional principles and the job,” journalist Nana Lezhava said in 2006, “but I don’t want a job of this kind.” Chikovani, the new director general, was formerly head of Media House, an advertisement company which deals in commercial airtime on Rustavi 2, Mze TV and Pirveli Stereo. Tina Khidasheli, of the oppositional Republicans, said Davarashvili’s departure is a positive step for Georgian news media. “There are not many journalists left in Georgian journalism who want to work in ‘Brezhnev’s Television.’ I knew that the journalists were not accustomed to [political pressure being exerted on the media],” Khidasheli said. |
Controversial TV network boss replaced by advertising exec
