Authorities Compromise over Draft Law on Broadcasting

After debates during a hearing at the Parliamentary Committee for Legal Issues on September 23, the authors of a draft law on broadcasting agreed to amend those provisions within the document which were harshly criticized by independent broadcasters and civil society organizations.  
 
As a result, the main Tbilisi TV broadcasting tower will no longer be handed to the State Television, which, according to the draft law, is to be transformed into public broadcaster. The private TV stations, that currently maintain their broadcasting equipment on the tower, feared that Public Television would use its control to restrict private broadcasting.

Another controversial provision was concerning the opening of the new tenders to purchase TV frequencies after the expiration of a 10-year term of license by the TV company. The authors, among them influential MP Giga Bokeria of the ruling National Movement party, agreed to change the provision and now the draft law foresees automatic prolongation of the license. The new tenders will be announced only for the new TV frequencies.
 
However, independent broadcasters failed in lobbying for a provision which would have banned commercial advetisements on the state-funded public television.  Current provisions of the draft do limit the commercial advertisements on Public Television.