The Georgian National Communications Commission has fined critical TV channel Formula 5,000 GEL.
This is the third time in the past four months that the Commission, based on its periodic media monitoring, has reviewed Formula for allegedly violating the provision of the Law on Broadcasting that concerns content regulation.
The fine comes as Formula TV faces a deep financial crisis. The broadcaster recently announced that it had been forced to cancel its morning programmes because of financial difficulties and said its journalists have long been working under extremely challenging financial conditions.
“According to the Communications Commission’s monitoring, conducted between 15 and 17 June this year, instances were identified in Formula’s news programmes where presenters and journalists expressed personal opinions, in violation of the legal requirements for impartiality,” the Commission said in a statement.
The statement says the violations identified by the Commission included assessments made by journalists and presenters in news programmes, which, according to the regulator, reflected the broadcaster’s personal stance when covering current political and public affairs, something the legislation restricts.
Formula has already been sanctioned twice over the past year for similar violations: it first received a written warning and was later fined 2,500 GEL.
“Under Georgia’s Law on Broadcasting, the company could have been fined up to 1% of its annual revenue. However, the Commission exercised its discretionary powers and imposed the statutory minimum fine of 5,000 GEL for this administrative offence,” the Communications Commission said.
It is important to note that Formula TV could also face licence suspension.
According to Formula, the Commission’s report specifically alleged that the broadcaster systematically used phrases such as “the Dream’ government,” “Georgian Dream’s president,” “the Dream’ prosecutor’s office,” “the Dream’ prime minister,” “the Dream’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” “repressive laws,” and “the Dream regime’s repression” in the disputed news reports.
