Public Broadcaster Takes Critical News Anchor Off Air

Journalist Vasil Ivanov-Chikovani announced that he had been suspended on February 4 from presenting the 18:00 news program “Moambe” on the Georgian Public Broadcaster’s (GPB). The decision was officially attributed by the management of the GPB to preventing a “tense and unhealthy working environment.” The move has drawn criticism from local watchdogs, including GYLA and the Media Advocacy Coalition, who accuse GPB of political bias and describe the situation as an attempt to silence objective journalism.

A statement from the channel cited concerns about “creating/exacerbating existing and possible future discomfort among staff” as the reason for sidelining the journalist until “the current complicated situation normalizes.”

Ivanov-Chikovani, has been one of the most vocal voices in his criticism of the Chair of GPB Board Vasil Maghlaperidze’s alleged influence over the broadcaster’s editorial independence.

He has been openly supportive of the jailed founder of Batumelebi Mzia Amaghlobeli since she went on hunger strike, opening his TV news programme with words of support. He also reminded viewers that no police officer has yet been held accountable for the excessive use of force against journalists.

He has long accused the broadcaster of failing to fulfill its mandate to serve the public interest, particularly in its coverage of pro-European protests in Georgia. He has argued that Maghlaperidze’s close ties to the ruling party undermine the broadcaster’s independence, stating that “the editorial policy cannot respond to the society and the demands that exist in society.” Maghlaperidze was formerly a deputy chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Ivanov-Chikovani had confronted Maghlaperidze directly about his undue editorial control, saying that “the voice of the people is not heard” and blaming the chairman’s political background for the perceived pro-government bias of the station. “There is an influence, that influence is Vasil Maghlaperidze,” the journalist said at the GBP board meeting on 30 January.

The move follows weeks of escalating tensions and ongoing protests around the GPB over growing concerns related to the absence of editorial independence and insufficient coverage of the crucial developments in the country. Public frustration with the broadcaster has been building since last year’s pro-European rallies, when citizens criticized its lack of coverage of police crackdowns on demonstrators. In December 2024, protesters even demanded access to live broadcasts to counter what they saw as state-controlled narratives, further deepening mistrust of the institution.

The management of the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) came under fire during the protests and also by the channel’s journalists, during several of the Board of Trustees meetings broadcast live, when journalists openly criticized the channel’s limited coverage of pro-EU protests and lack of editorial independence.

Vasil Ivanov Chikovani is not the only journalist who has spoken out about the internal challenges at the Broadcaster . Kakha Melikidze, a live broadcast director, publicly revealed during February 3 at the GPB Board meeting that he was reprimanded after airing a shot of President Salome Zurabishvili during the March 26 Georgia-Greece football match, along with other political leaders. When he questioned management about the warning, he was reportedly told, “That decision was wrong,” and further, “Do you really think we are still in public broadcasting? We depend on Parliament. If we don’t act as required, our funding will be cut, and we will face problems.”

Another journalist criticized GBP for barely mentioning that two of its journalists were injured during the December 29 pro-EU rally avoiding mentioning they were injured by police rubber bullets.

The journalists also slammed the management for the channel’s insufficient coverage of the imprisoned director of Batumelebi/Netgazeti publication, Mzia Amaghlobeli. 

Local Watchdogs React

On February 4, the Media Advocacy Coalition issued a strong condemnation of GPB’s decision, accusing it of silencing journalists committed to objective, impartial reporting. The statement expressed solidarity with Vasil Ivanov-Chikovani and criticized GPB for failing to provide unbiased news to the Georgian public. The statement stressed that GPB has an “apparent bias towards the Georgian Dream party and “spreads the propaganda of Bidzina Ivanishvili and the ruling party”, adding that GPB “does not contribute to the country’s European integration process”. The groups pointed to Chairman Vasil Maghlaperidze and Director Tinatin Berdzenishvili as the main architects of the censorship, stressing that their leadership stifles independent voices while promoting the political agenda of former GD Honorary Chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili. “The coalition called on international bodies, including the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), to take a position on the ongoing censorship at GPB and urged the EBU to address the violations and propaganda practices allegedly enabled by Maghlaperidze and Berdzenishvili.

Moreover, on February 5, the Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) has stressed that Vasil Ivanov-Chikovani’s case is rooted in his “public positioning”. The local watchdog said that the GPB is engaged in persecution of its employees, calling it part of an ongoing campaign to stifle free speech and independent journalism. GYLA stressed that such actions not only violate the rights of journalists, but also undermine the public’s right to access unbiased information from an institution that is constitutionally mandated to remain independent: “It is unconstitutional for the Georgian Dream to use the Public Broadcaster for its own purposes, and it is also unacceptable for the Public Broadcaster, based on its public mandate, to favor any position or support any political party.”

Also Read:

• 30/01/2025 – GPB Management Under Fire at Board Meeting Amid Ongoing Protests
• 18/12/2024 – President’s Administration: GPB Does Not Provide Complete and Objective Information on President
• 03/12/2024 – GPB Employees Distance Themselves from GD Decision, Say Channel is Biased
• 22/12/2023 – Media Coalition Slams Public Broadcaster for Failing to Uphold Independence
• 18/12/2023 – Public Broadcaster Cancels TV Shows Citing Changes to Funding Rules

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