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• Tbilisi premieres documentary winner of EUMM Special Prize for Peace Journalism 2021

  The premiere of the documentary film ‘My links to Abkhazia’, directed by Zviad Mchedlishvili and winner of the EUMM Special Prize for Peace Journalism 2021, took place in Tbilisi, Georgia, on 26 January.

  The production of the documentary was sponsored through the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM).

  “I am particularly happy that this documentary focuses on young people who are our best hope for successful reconciliation among the divided communities. As you may know, the goal of EUMM is to contribute to stability, dialogue and peace in Georgia. That is why we support journalists who share the same values and who work towards the same goal,” Tibor Kozma, the Acting Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), said at the premiere.

  The EUMM Special Prize for Peace Journalism is one of the eight categories of the EU Prize for Journalism, organised by the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia. Since 2013, EUMM has been awarding this Prize to honour independent, conflict-sensitive journalism which contributes to confidence building and lasting peace in Georgia.

  Find out more

  Press release

• ‘Discussion of Current Status of Fact-Checking by Global Journalism and the Operation of Media Self-regulatory Organization’

  The Journalists Association of Korea holds the World Journalists Conference
  (WJC). About 70 journalists from more than 50 countries participated.
  The conference starts on upcoming 26th, under the theme of ‘Notable cases
  of media coverage from the all over the world.’
  The 2022 World Journalists Conference, hosted by the Journalists Association of Korea (President Kim Dong
  Hoon), will be held online and offline for three days from April 24 (Sun) to 26 (Tue).
  The 2022 World Journalists Conference will be held both online and offline due to differences in the COVID-19
  quarantine system in each country. Overseas journalists will participate by video conference, and there is a venue
  at the International Conference Hall on the 20th floor of the Seoul Press Center for domestic participants and
  foreign correspondents in Korea.
  On the first day of this year's event, the first conference under the theme of ‘Current Status of Fact-Checking by
  Global Journalism and the Operation of Media Self-regulatory Organization’ will be held ahead of the
  establishment of an integrated media self-regulatory organization jointly promoted by the Journalists Association of
  Korea and other major journalism organizations. On the 26th, the second day of event, multiple conferences will
  be held lunder the theme of 'Society Changed by the Journalism’ to share examples of how the journalism has
  changed society while staying faithful to the original role.
  ‘Current Status of Fact-Checking by Global Journalism and the Operation of Media
  Self-regulatory Organization’
  The 2022 World Journalists Conference will be started with an opening ceremony consisted with a welcoming
  speech by Kim Dong Hoon, president of the Journalists Association of Korea; a congratulatory speech by Prime
  Minister Kim Boo-kyum; and a video introducing the Republic of Korea at 2 p.m. on April 25 (Mon) at the
  International Conference Hall on the 20th floor of the Seoul Press Center in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. The event of
  first day will begin under the chairmanship of Jung Min-ho (The Korea Times), head of the International
  Relations Department of the Journalists Association of Korea.
  In the Conference I under theme of ‘Current Status of Fact-Checking by Global Journalism and the Operation of
  Media Self-regulatory Organization,’ the media self-regulation efforts conducted by major domestic media
  organizations and the related cases from different countries will be reviewed to restore the credibility of
  journalism. It will be an opportunity to apply best practices as well as to contribute to the development of
  journalism around the world by sharing notable cases of participating countries.
  EunRyung Chong, Director of the SNUFactCheck Center, and Hyung Joon Ahn, journalist of the MBC, will
  present under the theme of ‘Current Status of Fact-Checking by Global Journalism and the Operation of Media
  Self-regulatory Organization in Korea’.
  28 overseas journalists, including Sabina Inderjit (India), vice president of the International Federation of
  Journalists (IFJ), will present their cases.
  All attendees will participate in a group discussion about the theme of day from 17:10 p.m.
  ‘Highlighting Exclusive News and Investigative Reports in Global Journalism’
  The Conference II, which will be held at the same venue as the previous day, will provide time for participants
  to share the notable media coverage from different countries from 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on the 26th (Tue).
  Min-kyu Lee, a professor at Chung-Ang University, will present under the theme of ‘Three Representative Cases
  of Social Change brought by media reports in Korean journalism,’ while Hwan-bong Jung, a reporter of the
  Hankyoreh, will present under the theme of ‘Report on online public opinion manipulation committed by
  authorized organization'.
  After the presentation of representatives from different countries, the event will be concluded with a group
  discussion about the theme of day.
  Prior to the main event of the second day, Sonny Kwon, CEO of the PUBLISH, will give a special lecture for
  an hour from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. under the theme of ‘Blockchain-based News Ecosystem.’
  Kim Dong Hoon, president of the Journalists Association of Korea, said “Journalists from different countries
  gathered to organize this year's event to consider ways to protect the proper function of journalism and restore
  people's trust,”and “If there is any exemplary case of policies or the operation of the media self-regulatory
  organization in other countries, we will do our best to apply it to our situation.”
  Prior to the main event, rehearsals and orientations of participants will be held on the 24th (Sun).
  The event will be held both online and offline and who want to attend can access the event with QR code. In
  addition, Korean-English simultaneous interpretation will be provided at the site, and YouTube broadcasts will be
  provided only in English.
  The presentation materials and videos of the event will be uploaded to the Journalists Association of Korea
  website (www.journalist.or.kr).

• Partisan divisions define election reporting in Georgian media

  The EU and UNDP release the final media monitoring report of the 2021 local self-governance elections in Georgia

  TBILISI. 14 December 2021 – The European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics, Internews Georgia and CRRC-Georgia, are monitoring media coverage of the 2021 municipal elections in Georgia. The interim reports released today analyse the coverage across 54 media outlets (27 national and 27 regional) from 5 July through 14 November 2021.

  Findings show that, in the monitoring period, Georgian media was efficient and swift in covering electoral developments. Journalists provided voters with timely and diverse information, closely followed the events and reached out to a wide circle of respondents.

  The rise in partisan polarization affected election reporting across almost all media sectors. Events surrounding homophobic pogroms in July, violent attacks on journalists and the imprisonment of Georgia’s third President in October dominated the media agenda. Interpretation of these developments varied depending on the editorial preferences of media outlets.

  Tensions between media camps have been especially evident in broadcast media – televisions and radios. Most of the monitored media outlets manipulated their audiences by backing certain political forces and demeaning others.

  Two televisions hosted election debates in the runup to election day. This achievement was somewhat diminished by the reluctance to ask critical questions and by the lack of an adequate response to homophobic and xenophobic statements by some of the candidates.

  Ethical journalism standards were relatively respected during the pre-election period but dropped down closer to election day and runoffs. Unethical reporting prevailed in the national print media which used offensive language and unverified sources of information. In contrast to that, regional and local newspapers offered a more balanced account of events and a diversity of opinions.

  Fewer cases of gender-discriminatory language were registered during the monitoring period across all media sectors.

  Political bias was notably less evident across the digital media sector. Most of the national and regional digital media outlets maintained editorial independence and provided their audiences with relatively balanced, though fragmented and superficial, information.

  “Despite the pluralistic media landscape, polarisation has been one of the dominant themes in Georgian election coverage in recent years. Accurate and well-balanced information is essential for voters to make an informed choice at the ballot boxes,” said Asunción Sánchez Ruiz, Deputy Head of EU Delegation to Georgia / Head of Political, Press and Information Section.

  “Georgian media is a dynamic, diverse and fast-growing environment. It stirs public debate and acts as a crucial watchdog to democratic elections, even though political bias, unethical reporting and unverified sources of information remain an issue in some of the media sectors,” said Nick Beresford, UNDP Head in Georgia.

  Media research will continue through March 2022 to cover the entire electoral cycle – election campaign, election day, runoffs and post-election period.

  All reports are available on the website: mediamonitor.ge 

• The U.S. Embassy supports the development of media literacy in Georgia

  Fake news harms individuals and the democratic development of their countries. It is important for citizens to investigate, research, and communicate in order to verify news and its sources. The U.S. Embassy supports the development of media literacy in Georgia by working with the Media Development Foundation (MDF), whose staff run the Media Literacy Youth Lab which helps young people in different regions across Georgia develop analytical and fact-checking skills.

  This year, within the framework of UNESCO's Global Media and Information Literacy Week, we were happy to support MDF's Media Literacy Forum which unveiled the U.S. Embassy-funded Georgian translation of the UNESCO handbook: "Journalism, 'Fake News' and Disinformation" - available here: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000375682

   

  Source: US Embassy Tbilisi, Georgia
• European Union launches 2020 EU Prize for Journalism in Georgia

  On 3 May, the EU marked World Press Freedom Day in Georgia by launching the 2020 EU Prize for Journalism. This is the ninth edition of the prize, run jointly by the EU Delegation and the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia.

  The 2020 EU Prize for Journalism will be awarded in six categories covering print, online and broadcast media. It also includes the Special Prize for Peace Journalism, which is awarded by the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) for conflict-sensitive journalism contributing to confidence building and peace.

  Each winner in the six categories will receive €1,500. The winner of the EUMM Special Prize for Peace Journalism will receive a one-month fellowship with the Institute of War and Peace Reporting in London.

   

  The deadline for submission of all entries is 15 December 2020. The application form, rules and submission guidelines are available at www.euprizejournalism.ge

  The EU Prize for Journalism was introduced in 2012 to highlight and encourage high-quality media work in Georgia. According to the EU, this is now one of the longest running journalism competitions in the country.

  Find out more

  Application details and guidelines