Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
The only Russian-speaking channel of Georgia – First Information Caucasus (PIK) – stopped broadcasting completely. About 400 journalists and technical employees lose their job. Their protests and requests to international organizations remain fruitless, as well as petition to the leader of the country, Bidzina Ivanishvili. The strangest thing in this story is that grounds for closing PIK down are unknown. The channel was founded as a powerful information resource solving three problems.
First of all, PIK broadcasted to the North Caucasus, covering events in this region of Russia; often Moscow interests were ignored, and it was thought to be a part of the North Caucasian strategy of Georgia.
Secondly, PIK’s doors have always been opened for the Russian opposition. Ksenia Sobchak was the channel’s face; Matvei Ganapolsky, Oleg Panfilov, and even Alla Dudayeva were anchors.
Thirdly, the Russian speaking channel was popular among Russian speaking minorities of Georgia. Since August 2008 Russian speaking residents of the country had no opportunity to watch Russian channels. The only opportunity to receive shows of First Channel, NTV, Rossia was to buy a satellite dish which is very expensive.
Moreover, there is no doubt that PIK was a private initiative of Saakashvili. He ordered to finance the channel from budgetary resources - $8,5 million. The sum is significant for Georgia. The majority of the sum was spent for satellite broadcasting. The channel was officially considered to be a branch of the Public Broadcaster of Georgia (OVG), but it had autonomy, especially when the British journalist Robert Parsons was the head of PIK. Necessity of attraction of popular European media figures appeared after the French company Eutelast had unexpectedly rejected the contract with PIK for broadcasting to southern regions of Russia, even though it had already taken place. The administration of PIK and OVG sued Eutelast, hinting that Paris yielded threats and pressure by Moscow. According to them, Gazprom-Media promised to reduce all its channels from the European satellite if the Georgian Russian speaking resource would gain an opportunity to broadcast to the territory of Russia. The Council of Europe and European Parliament considered the case, and PMs from Eastern European countries demanded from Eutelast to restart broadcasting. The compromise was found: the channel got an opportunity to broadcast its programs but with narrower area for broadcasting.
Nevertheless, PIK successfully worked till the parliamentary elections on October 1st. After these elections television got new serious problems. We have to remember that the shift of power in Georgia is relevant: Mikhail Saakashvili remains the president; OVG is still headed by his supporter Georgy Chanturia. It was Chanturia who ceased financing of OVG’s branch. According to the law, it is not easy to change OVG’s administration: a parliamentary order is not enough – certain amendments should be made for the law, which is a rather long and difficult process.
Why did Chanturia decide to close PIK down? He states on two official reasons: the administration of the Russian speaking channel decided to change a satellite willingly and shift to the American Hot Bird. Moreover, OVG’s head was offended by the action held by journalists in the middle of October when salary paying was delayed.
Probably both “official reasons” cover the main ground: after the parliamentary elections Mikhail Saakashvili and his team are not sure that the Russian speaking channel will maintain loyalty and not change the channel policy toward Russia.
