ComCom Fines TV Formula GEL 5000 for Violating the Law on Broadcasting

The Communications Commission has fined TV Formula GEL 5000, the minimum penalty prescribed by law, for violating the Law of Georgia on Broadcasting. The monitoring process conducted by the Commission between 15 and 17 June of this year found that presenters and journalists on Formula's news programmes had expressed personal opinions and violated the legal requirements for impartiality.

According to the Commission, the violations consisted of evaluations and commentary made by the journalists and presenters in news broadcasts that reflected the broadcaster's own views when covering current political and social issues, which is prohibited by law. Specifically, the Law of Georgia on Broadcasting prohibits the news and public affairs programmes from presenting coverage based on the broadcaster's personal opinions or attitudes. Broadcasters are prohibited from covering political or other contentious issues, as well as current public policy matters, in news and political shows on the basis of their own views or opinions. Thus, the law restricts not only the explicit expression of a broadcaster's position, but also the reporting on political conflicts and public policy issues in a manner that reflects the broadcaster's own stance.

Due to the fact that TV Formula had already received two sanctions for similar violations within the past year—a written warning and a GEL 2,500 fine, the Law on Broadcasting provides that the company may now be fined up to 1% of its annual revenue. However, the Commission exercised its discretionary authority and, instead of imposing a higher penalty, fined TV Formula the minimum amount prescribed by law (GEL 5,000).