The Communications Commission fined “Formula” 5,000 GEL

The Communications Commission fined “Formula” with the minimum sanction provided for by the law - 5,000 GEL - for violating the Law of Georgia “On Broadcasting”. In particular, as a result of the monitoring of the Communications Commission, which was conducted from June 15 to June 17 of this year, facts of dissemination of personal opinions by presenters and journalists in “Formula” news programs and violation of the requirements established by the law on impartiality were revealed.

The violations identified by the Commission included assessments made by journalists and presenters in news programs, which represented coverage of current political and public issues based on the broadcaster’s personal attitude, which is restricted by the legislation. In particular: The Law of Georgia on Broadcasting prohibits the coverage of news and socio-political programs based on personal attitudes or opinions. It is prohibited for a broadcaster to cover information reflecting political or other types of controversy or current issues of public policy in news and socio-political programs based on the broadcaster’s personal attitudes or opinions. Accordingly, not only the expression of the broadcaster’s position is restricted, but also, in accordance with the broadcaster’s position, the coverage of political or other types of controversy and current issues of public policy.

Given that TV Company "Formula" has already received two sanctions for a similar violation over the past year: a written warning and a fine of 2,500 GEL, this time, according to the Law of Georgia "On Broadcasting", the company should be fined no more than 1% of its annual income, but this time the Commission used its discretionary authority and imposed the minimum fine of 5,000 GEL on TV Company "Formula" for the aforementioned violation.

The Communications Commission reports.