Georgia Again Fines Russian TV Networks

Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC) said on August 27 it had fined five Russian companies with GEL 50,000 each (up to USD 30,000) for unauthorized broadcasting in breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Fines were imposed on NTV; REN TV; TV-Center; state-owned Russia TV (formerly RTR) and Kultura (part of Russia TV). 

For the same reason, GNCC fined last October the Russian public broadcaster and the state-owned radio station Vesti FM. No fine has been paid.

Meanwhile, Russian television stations, which carry news, still remain blocked in rest of Georgia. These television stations went off air on August 8, 2008 after an apparent government instruction to the local cable networks to do so. These Russian stations, however, are still available for those views, which have satellite dishes.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)