Newspapers Sold Out Amid Broadcast Restrictions

Unusually for Georgia, most local newspapers were sold out in Tbilisi by 1 pm local time on November 8.

With two pro-opposition TV stations off the air and news coverage in the remaining private television stations banned, the Georgian Public Broadcaster?s (GPB) hourly news bulletins are the main source of information for most of the population. Newspaper circulation is usually low and internet access is only available to at most 7% of the people.

?The government which came into power through peaceful demonstrations has now itself dispersed peaceful demonstrators several times yesterday,? the daily Rezonansi wrote. ?All day, however, lawmakers from the ruling party were getting irritated on hearing the words ?violent break up.? They were telling journalists that it was not the right term to describe the November 7 events. Riot police used tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons; they [the police] were brutally beating everyone. If this was not a violent break up, what should we call it??

Another daily, 24 Saati (24 Hours), has dedicated its entire issue to the November 7 unrest in Tbilisi, with lots of photos. There was no commentary, only factual information.

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