“After meetings with Russian journalists, emotions overwhelm me”

By Vestnik Kavkaza

Last week a group of journalists from the South Caucasus republics visited Moscow. They met their colleagues from Vestnik Kavkaza, and its editor-in-chief spoke to each of the guests. Today we present an interview with independent journalist Vladimir Noniyev from Georgia.

-          Vladimir, from the point of view of your professional skills, what is important to learn in such short-term trips to Moscow?

-          To be honest, I would especially emphasize intensive communication with my colleagues from the CIS countries on such trips.

-          So, you lack purely professional communication, do you?

-          Yes, I do. Communication.

-          There is an idea of an Internet portal, like a social network, where young professionals, journalists from Russia, the South Caucasus states, and probably Kazakhstan could exchange experience. Do you think the idea is promising? We don’t know each other well because young professionals have no such platforms for dialogue. Is this a problem?

-          Yes, there is such a problem to some extent. The building of a portal will encourage contacts and communication between each other, I think.

-          Would it be interesting for Georgian journalists to communicate with Russian colleagues on professional topics – new technologies, work instruments, tele-journalism or starting up media projects? These common topics are interesting for Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia.

-          Of course it would be interesting.

-          What were the most interesting meetings in Moscow for your, from the professional point of view?

-          These were meetings with experts; we visited RIA Novosti; I’m impressed and emotions overwhelm me.

-          Does Georgia have an agency which would possess a similar database to RIA Novosti’s?

-          It is simpler in Georgia. Even the RIA Novosti press center in Georgia, Novosti Gruzii, consists of 6 to 10 people, while the whole office consists of no more than 60 people.

-          What TV-channels have you worked on?

-          I have worked in the information service of the “Alania” TV-channel and on various Georgian TV-channels, as well as on Russian ones, for instance, PIK.

-          You speak Russian fluently. Does it help you in your professional career?

-          Yes, of course.