Georgia’s Communications Commission (ComCom) has fined opposition-leaning broadcaster TV Pirveli GEL 2,500 (about USD 950) over language used in its news output, saying the station breached requirements for fairness and impartiality under the Broadcasting Law.
What triggered the fine
The regulator’s 25 June decision is the second known financial penalty under content-regulating provisions added through April 2025 amendments to the law. In May, ComCom imposed the same fine on Formula TV over alleged breaches linked to personal opinions, impartiality and balance.
According to media watchdog Mediachecker, the TV Pirveli case centred on news wording that referred to people arrested and convicted after anti-government protests as “prisoners of conscience,” described what the station called continued pressure on activists, and used terms such as “oligarch” for Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili and “oligarch’s party” for the ruling party. ComCom said such phrasing reflected the broadcaster’s personal attitude and violated Article 54, which requires fair and impartial news reporting. The regulator monitored TV Pirveli’s news programmes aired on 11–13 May.
Broader context
Critics say last year’s amendments gave ComCom wider powers to regulate broadcast content. Transparency International Georgia said the fine fits a pattern of pressure on independent media and warned that regulators and investigative bodies could be used to sanction outlets that criticise authorities. ComCom and the government have not publicly accepted that characterisation.
In April, ComCom issued written warnings to TV Pirveli, Formula TV and pro-government outlets Imedi TV and POSTV over alleged impartiality breaches. That followed the regulator’s criticism of UK sanctions on Imedi TV and POSTV over alleged Russian disinformation.
