Media.ge, Tbilisi, 12 Mar 2009 – On March 12 the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC) passed a resolution on the adoption of the Broadcasters’ Code of Conduct. The document ratified as a normative act includes recommendatory and binding norms.
“This document obligates all broadcasters to be adherent to the principles of equality, diversity and tolerance. According to the Broadcasters’ Code of Conduct the broadcasters are bound to protect juveniles from harmful influence, as well as the inviolability of any person’s life,” GNCC clarified. The draft Broadcasters’ Code of Conduct has been examined for four years now and has undergone re-elaboration several times.
The regulatory norms envisaged in the Code are opposed by a number of broadcasters and Orthodox organizations.
Nino Jangirashvili, Kavkasia TV programmes director being discontent with the ratification of the document, the most ardent opponent among the broadcasters said: “I would like to let everyone know that through adopting the Code the broadcasters face most horrible danger! For instance we’ll have to close down David Akubardia’s programme (Kavkasia TV talk-show Spectrum, anchored by Kavkasia TV founder. In addition to the guests the audience also takes part in the programme through calls and text messages) while the text messages are not under control and this Code directly envisages control over the messages received during the programme. Through this Code televisions lose possibility for interaction.”
Giorgi Kipiani of the Orthodox Parents Union considers that the Code is not going to protect juveniles from harmful influence.
The Code admits airing scenes of violence up to 15 seconds, after 20:00hrs. 20:00 is set as a margin instead of 22:00 requested by us in the draft code. 20:00hrs was set in the final version of the draft, without notifying us,” Giorgi Kipiani said.
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