Nine-Party Bloc’s Ad Attacks Mze, Rustavi 2 TVs

Mze TV station launched airing of the nine-party opposition bloc’s ad with voiceover saying: “We are not allowed [to speak] on this TV channel; watch us on Kavkasia TV and [Georgian] Public Broadcaster.”

The free ad, which is aired as part of pre-election campaign, is latest in a series of tit-for-tat confrontation between the nine-party bloc and the Mze and Rustavi 2 TV stations (both part of the same media holding).

Confrontation started in November during the presidential campaign when former presidential candidate Levan Gachechiladze, now the leader of the nine-party bloc, lashed out at Rustavi 2 and Mze TV journalists accusing them of bias in favor of the authorities. It also continued after the presidential elections and after Gachechiladze referred to one of the Rustavi 2 TV journalist as “riffraff,” the TV station said it was suspending “professional cooperation” with Gachechiladze, unless he publicly apologized. It was then followed by the opposition coalition announcing boycott to Mze and Rustavi 2 TV stations.

Although the nine-party bloc announced on April 17 that it was ending the boycott, the two networks continued ignoring the opposition bloc’s activities in their news coverage.

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