GNCC Responds to Brief Suspension of Kavkasia TV Broadcasts
The Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC) said in a statement on September 3 that the suspension of broadcasts of Tbilisi-based Kavkasia TV station was caused by a purely technical problem.
Kavkasia TV went off air late on September 1, but it resumed broadcast early next morning. The station’s immediate reaction was to express suspicion that there was foul play behind the damage to the its transmitter.
The GNCC gave detailed technical specifications of Kavkasia TV’s transmitter in its statement and said that it was outdated and vulnerable to technical problems.
It also noted that in May, when Kavkasia TV’s transmitter experienced similar problems, the GNCC “cooperated actively” with the TV station to facilitate a prompt replacement of a damaged part of the transmitter.
“The GNCC will continue its active cooperation with all TV companies in future and will help to resolve their problems with all the available means at its disposal,” the statement reads.
It is highly unusual for the GNCC to respond through a public statement to such an issue, indicating the sensitivity of the matter for the authorities, which are often criticized for a lack of broadcast media freedom.
