The Media Development Foundation survey on media
By Tatia Megeneishvili
Wednesday, June 15
Sponsored materials are not separated from editorial articles and news in most cases.
The Media Development Fund (MDF) published its survey on the distribution of budget resources for advertising and dissemination of information in the media on June 14.
The survey also reflects findings of media coverage, which are designed to show what type of information is funded from the budget and what kind of impact the budgetary funded materials have on media content.
The report also underlines the violation of advertising the law established by Code of Conduct and professional ethics standards.
According to the survey, certified rating system in accordance with international standards, worked only in case of broadcaster and regional TV are not included.
Circulation of newspapers is not transparent and the international system of access to the online media is not used.
According to the survey, some agencies keep signing service contracts with other agencies which have editorial policies allowing xenophobia, homophobia and anti-Western sentiments.
The research also indicated that the pro-Russian organization Democratic Movement party and Russia supporting platform Satellite is related with the New press agency, which distributes anti-Western messages.
With regards to national broadcasters, the survey notes that national television and mixed covering television are launching advertisements measuring the results of television ratings.
First place is Rustavi 2 TV channel, followed by Imedi TV. Maestro is on the third place, while GDS is on the sixth and has 21, 7 % less income compared with Maestro, while having 82, 4 % more income than Caucasus TV which comes in eighth place.
