Social Media Monitoring Second Interim Report September 1 - October 15, 2020

Elections Media Monitoring for 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia Social Media

Study and Research on Media Coverage of 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia

This report has been prepared and published by the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics with the assistance of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The content of this report is the sole responsibility of the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics and its content can in no way be perceived to reflect the opinion of the EU and that of the UNDP.

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics 1 Elections Media Monitoring for 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia Social Media

Methodology The Objective of the Study and the Research Questions The social network monitoring carried out during the period of 2020 Parliamentary Elections aims to explore what type of information reaches users daily through the social network about ongoing political events in the country. Considering the fact that Facebook is the most popular social network platform in Georgia, monitoring has been carried out to find out how this platform is used by the traditional media, government bodies and electoral subjects and what type of information users receive through Facebook during the election period in Georgia.

Correspondingly, the study aims to answer the following research questions:

 What type of media outlets have access to the widest audiences via Facebook?

 What types of media products reach the widest audiences?

 How reliable is the information which is spread to the widest audiences?

 What is the ratio between more or less reliable information spread via the social network and problematic media products?

 How does the traditional media, in particular, online and TV media use their Facebook pages to disseminate daily information during the electoral period?

 What kind of information is disseminated through most popular pages and largest open groups?

 How is the social media used by government agencies, political parties and individual politicians as a platform for spreading information during electoral period?

Observation method and sampling

To seek answers to the research questions, daily observation of the following sources was carried out:

1) Facebook pages of 13 online media outlets;

2) Facebook pages of 6 TV channels;

3) 60 open groups;

4) 137 popular pages;

5) Facebook pages of the President, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of Parliament, The Mayor of Tbilisi, the head of the Government of Adjara, the Government of Adjara, 11 ministries and 4 ministers;

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics 2 Elections Media Monitoring for 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia Social Media

6) Facebook pages of 12 political parties and 25 individual politicians;

7) 20 most widespread media products (based on the number of interactions) spread through Face- book daily.

Quantitative as well as qualitative analysis of the media products shared by the selected sources was carried out every day during the monitoring period. During quantitative observation, attention was paid to which political subjects were portrayed in exaggerated media products and the tone of the media coverage of the respective subjects. During qualitative observation, attention was paid to compliance with journalistic standards of the media products shared through Facebook. Particular attention was paid to observing which media outlet materials were published most frequently by various sources.

Analytical platforms Crowd Tangle and Buzz Sumo were used for data collection.

Limitations of the Study In accordance with the international practice, the spread range of individual materials through Face- book was determined according to numbers of interactions which the materials accumulated in a given time period.

Definition of terms Source - Facebook page under observation.

Might be a page of an individual, a political party or a government agency, an entertainment page with high numbers of likes and followers, an official Facebook page of a traditional media outlet or an open group, which is observed during the monitoring.

Author – a media outlet, which prepared the media product shared by the source via Facebook.

Media product – In the following report media product refers to materials prepared by the traditional media, such as articles, videos and other types of multimedia products.

Facebook statuses, post comments, original materials prepared by politicians or government agencies, such as press releases, videos, infographics and other types of campaigning materials are not considered as media products for the purpose of this study and are not analyzed quantitatively.

Traditional media – In the following report traditional media refers to a media outlet, which has its own platform, such as a website, a newspaper, radio or television broadcasting, and which publishes materials on its platform.

More or less reliable information – a media product prepared by traditional media outlets which does not contain gross violations of journalistic standards.

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics 3 Elections Media Monitoring for 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia Social Media

Problematic media product – a media product prepared by traditional media outlets which contains gross violations of journalistic standards, such as publishing unverified and unbalanced information, hate speech dissemination, deliberate spread of disinformation etc.

Number of interactions – cumulative number of various types of emoticons, comments and shares accumulated by individual media products on Facebook.

Most widespread media product – individual media products with the highest numbers of interactions accumulated on Facebook in a given period of time.

Popular page –a Facebook page which is not a personal profile of any individual or a page of a specific company or organization and which is liked by many users.

Open group – A group created on Facebook, joined by a certain number of users, joining which does not require confirmation by the group administrator.

Main Findings The monitoring has revealed the following key findings:

 According to the interactions monitored on Facebook, the most widely disseminated media products were the ones prepared by the TV channels and their websites even during the second monitoring period;

 Like the broadcasting media, political polarization is observed in the information disseminated via the Facebook pages of TV channels;

 Popular Facebook pages rarely share the media products that are reporting about current political processes;

 Specifically problematic media products are very seldom encountered on popular pages, and such materials have a very low number of interactions;

 The two problematic pages identified during the first monitoring period: Alt-Info and Alt-Club, were taken down by Facebook on October 23, and these pages are no longer searchable in the social network;

 The users of open groups on Facebook quite often share the media products that directly or indirectly address political issues;

 There are some cases observed when the users share the materials produced by problematic websites; however, the interaction rate is very low for these materials;

 During the second monitoring period too, the high-ranking public officials and government agencies used their Facebook pages for disseminating information about their activities and not for discrediting their political opponents;

 During the second monitoring period as well, insulting and humiliating materials were observed on Facebook pages of political parties and some politicians, which were targeted against their po-

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics 4 Elections Media Monitoring for 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia Social Media

litical opponents. However, the especially problematic materials, which contained hate speech, incitement to violence or deliberate misinformation, were encountered very rarely.

 Usually, the most widely shared posts on Facebook are the media products produced by the high-ranking and well-known media outlets, and the especially problematic materials get less interaction from users.

Conclusion The monitoring revealed that, similar to the first monitoring period, the media products prepared by the high-ranking and famous media outlets were shared most frequently via Facebook and had the largest user interactions in the second monitoring period as well.

The second monitoring period also clearly demonstrated that the media products of TV channels were largely disseminated in the social media. The highest rates of user interaction were attributed to their media products. On the other hand, as shown in the analysis of material disseminated via the social network by the TV companies themselves, their political polarization was clearly observed during the run-up to the elections.

Individuals who were directly or indirectly involved in the elections, politicians and government officials in some cases use their Facebook pages to insult political opponents. However, there is a lit- tle exception when particularly problematic material is shared, such as dissemination of statements containing hate speech and deliberate misinformation.

It was observed that mostly the media products prepared by high-ranking and famous media outlets are shared in popular groups and numerous open groups on Facebook. In some cases, especially while monitoring the open groups, some problematic materials were shared as well, which were produced by suspicious and problematic online media outlets. However, it was also observed that such problematic media outlets and their products had very low user interactions, which lets us assume that their coverage area is very small among the Georgian users during the run-up to the elections. It is also noteworthy that the two problematic pages Alt-Info and Ant-Club, which were revealed during the first monitoring period, were taken down by Facebook itself and these pages are no longer searchable in the social network.

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics 5 Elections Media Monitoring for 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia Social Media Annex: Tables and Charts The most widely shared media products

# Media Outlet Number of materials % 1 Mtavari Channel (mtavari.tv) 224 26.7 2 Imedi (imedinews.ge) 124 14.8 3 interpressnews.ge 108 12.9 4 Channel One of the Public Broadcaster (1tv.ge) 81 9.6 5 news.on.ge 57 6.8 6 radiotavisupleba.ge 45 5.4 7 tabula.ge 42 5 8 primetime.ge 25 3 9 metronome.ge 25 3 10 netgazeti.ge 25 3 11 Rustavi 2 (rustavi2.ge) 18 2.1 12 ambebi.ge 14 1.7 13 kvira.ge 9 1.1

Cumulative data on 20 most frequently shared media products on Facebook every day, out of 900 (%) (September 1 - October 15)

Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 43 31 26 Prime Minister 61 33 6 Government 22 61 17 United National Movement 13 56 31 Mikheil Saakashvili 36 35 29 Strategy Aghmashenebeli 21 76 Alliance of Patriots 52 32 European Georgia 7125

The GeorgianMonitoring Charter of Journalistic of Facebook Ethics pages of TV channels 6

Coverage of subjects on the Facebook page of Imedi (%) (September 1 - October 15)

Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 55 44 1

Government 30 69

Prime Minister 32 68

United National Movement 27 71

Mikheil Saakashvili 87

European Georgia 49

Local Government

Cumulative data on 20 most frequently shared media products on Facebook every day, out of 900 (%) (September 1 - October 15)

Monitoring of Facebook pages of TV channels Monitoring of Facebook pages of TV channels

Coverage of subjects on the Facebook page of Imedi (%) (September 1 - October 15)

Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 55 44 1

Government 30 69

Prime Minister 32 68

United National Movement 27 71

Mikheil Saakashvili 87

European Georgia 49

Local Government

Coverage of Subjects on Imedi (in main news releases) Sepember 01 - October 15 Positive Neutral Negative

Georgian Dream 30 68 2 Government 50 49 United National Movement 32 67 Prime Minister 1684 Mikheil Saakashvili 24 76 European Georgia 35 65 Local Government

Coverage of subjects on the Facebook page of Mtavari

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics Channel (%) 7 (September 1 - October 15) Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 7 24 69

United National Movement 25 66 9

Government 57 40

Mikheil Saakashvili 50 32 18

Prime Minister 62

European Georgia 77

Local Government 79

Coverage of Subjects on Imedi (in main news releases) Sepember 01 - October 15 Positive Neutral Negative

Georgian Dream 30 68 2 Government 50 49 United National Movement 32 67 Prime Minister 1684 Mikheil Saakashvili 24 76 European Georgia 35 65 Local Government

Elections Media Monitoring for 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia Social Media

Coverage of subjects on the Facebook page of Mtavari Channel (%) (September 1 - October 15) Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 7 24 69

United National Movement 25 66 9

Government 57 40

Mikheil Saakashvili 50 32 18

Prime Minister 62

European Georgia 77

Local Government 79

Coverage of Subjects on Mtavari Channel (in main news releases) September 01 - October 15 2020 Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 28 70 United National Movement 19 77 Government 50 49

Mikheil Saakashvili 29 68 European Georgia 2077 Local Government 40 60

Strength in Unity 32 67

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics 8 Coverage of subjects on Facebook page of Formula TV (%) (September 1 - October 15) Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 11 42 47

United National Movement 7 82 11

European Georgia 13 85

Government 92

Mikheil Saakashvili 14 51 35

Girchi 38 54

Prime Minister 82

Coverage of Subjects on Mtavari Channel (in main news releases) September 01 - October 15 2020 Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 28 70 United National Movement 19 77 Government 50 49

Mikheil Saakashvili 29 68 European Georgia 2077 Local Government 40 60

Strength in Unity 32 67

Elections Media Monitoring for 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia Social Media

Coverage of subjects on Facebook page of Formula TV (%) (September 1 - October 15) Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 11 42 47

United National Movement 7 82 11

European Georgia 13 85

Government 92

Mikheil Saakashvili 14 51 35

Girchi 38 54

Prime Minister 82

Coverage of Subjects on Formula (in main news releases) September 01 - October 15 2020 Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 10 22 68 Government 26 73 European Georgia 90

United National Movement 86 10 Lelo for Georgia 91

Local Government 22 76 Strategy Aghmashenebeli 88

Coverage of subjects on the Facebook page of Rustavi The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics 2 (%) 9 (September 1 - October 15) Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 23 48 29

Government 27 64 9

United National Movement 4 64 32

European Georgia 9 70 21

Mikheil Saakashvili 32 64

Strategy Aghmashenebeli 82

Alliance of Patriots 70 25

Coverage of Subjects on Formula (in main news releases) September 01 - October 15 2020 Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 10 22 68 Government 26 73 European Georgia 90

United National Movement 86 10 Lelo for Georgia 91

Local Government 22 76 Strategy Aghmashenebeli 88

Elections Media Monitoring for 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia Social Media

Coverage of subjects on the Facebook page of Rustavi 2 (%) (September 1 - October 15) Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 23 48 29

Government 27 64 9

United National Movement 4 64 32

European Georgia 9 70 21

Mikheil Saakashvili 32 64

Strategy Aghmashenebeli 82

Alliance of Patriots 70 25

Coverage of Subjects by Rustavi 2 (in main news releases) September 01 - October 15, 2020 Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 20 65 15

United National Movement 14 67 19

Government 15 82 3

European Georgia 85 9 Lelo for Georgia 82

Mikheil Saakashvili 40 59

Prime Minister 12 87

The Georgian CharterCoverage of Journalistic of Ethics subjects on the Facebook page of Adjara TV 10 (%) (September 1 - October 15) Positive Neutral Negative Government of Adjara 36 32 32

Government 35 60 5

Georgian Dream 35 28 37

United National Movement 8 69 23

Prime Minister 44 56

Local Government 39 8 53

Lelo for Georgia 53 37

Coverage of Subjects by Rustavi 2 (in main news releases) September 01 - October 15, 2020 Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 20 65 15

United National Movement 14 67 19

Government 15 82 3

European Georgia 85 9 Lelo for Georgia 82

Mikheil Saakashvili 40 59

Prime Minister 12 87

Elections Media Monitoring for 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia Social Media

Coverage of subjects on the Facebook page of Adjara TV (%) (September 1 - October 15) Positive Neutral Negative Government of Adjara 36 32 32

Government 35 60 5

Georgian Dream 35 28 37

United National Movement 8 69 23

Prime Minister 44 56

Local Government 39 8 53

Lelo for Georgia 53 37

Coverage of Subjects on Adjara TV (in main news releases) September 01 - October 15 2020 Positive Neutral Negative

Georgian Dream 34 53 13

United National Movement 6 75 19

Local Government 26 57 17

Government of Adjara 23 74 3

Government 12 68 20

European Georgia 14 81

Lelo for Georgia 29 68

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics 11 Coverage of subjects on the Facebook page of the Channel One of the Public Broadcaster (%) (September 1 - October 15) Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 41 29 30

Prime Minister 73 26

Government 53 43 4

United National Movement 13 39 48

European Georgia 25 55 20

Mikheil Saakashvili 3419 47

Local Government 73

Coverage of Subjects on Adjara TV (in main news releases) September 01 - October 15 2020 Positive Neutral Negative

Georgian Dream 34 53 13

United National Movement 6 75 19

Local Government 26 57 17

Government of Adjara 23 74 3

Government 12 68 20

European Georgia 14 81

Lelo for Georgia 29 68

Elections Media Monitoring for 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia Social Media

Coverage of subjects on the Facebook page of the Channel One of the Public Broadcaster (%) (September 1 - October 15) Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 41 29 30

Prime Minister 73 26

Government 53 43 4

United National Movement 13 39 48

European Georgia 25 55 20

Mikheil Saakashvili 3419 47

Local Government 73

Coverage of Subjects by Channel One (in main news releases) September 1 - October 15 Positive Neutral Negative

Government 18 73 9

Georgian Dream 24 55 21

European Georgia 15 76 9

United National Movement 73 21 Prime Minister 29 70

Lelo for Georgia 18 80

Strategy Aghmashenebeli 86

Monitoring of Facebook Pages of online media outlets The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics 12 Coverage of subjects on Facebook page of interpressnews.ge (%) (September 1 - October 15) Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 25 34 41

Government 29 55 16

United National Movement 11 61 28

European Georgia 19 70 11

Mikheil Saakashvili 26 31 43

Prime Minister 47 39

Strategy Aghmashenebeli 75

Coverage of Subjects by Channel One (in main news releases) September 1 - October 15 Positive Neutral Negative

Government 18 73 9

Georgian Dream 24 55 21

European Georgia 15 76 9

United National Movement 73 21 Prime Minister 29 70

Lelo for Georgia 18 80

Strategy Aghmashenebeli 86

Elections Media Monitoring for 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia Social Media

MonitoringMonitoring of Facebook of Facebook Pages Pages of online of online media media outlets outlets

Coverage of subjects on Facebook page of interpressnews.ge (%) (September 1 - October 15) Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 25 34 41

Government 29 55 16

United National Movement 11 61 28

European Georgia 19 70 11

Mikheil Saakashvili 26 31 43

Prime Minister 47 39

Strategy Aghmashenebeli 75

Coverage of Subjects on the website interpressnews.ge (September 1 - October 15)

Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 31 28 41

Government 41 45 14

European Georgia 24 69 7

United National Movement 8 59 33

Lelo for Georgia 34 64

Prime Minister 53 33

Local Government 54 32

Coverage of Subjects on the Facebook Page of ambebi.ge (%) The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics 13 Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 16 50 34

Government 28 69 3

Mikheil Saakashvili 19 63 18

United National Movement 12 71 17

Prime Minister 19 79

European Georgia 19 78

Strategy Aghmashenebeli 76

Coverage of Subjects on the website interpressnews.ge (September 1 - October 15)

Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 31 28 41

Government 41 45 14

European Georgia 24 69 7

United National Movement 8 59 33

Lelo for Georgia 34 64

Prime Minister 53 33

Local Government 54 32 Elections Media Monitoring for 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia Social Media

Coverage of Subjects on the Facebook Page of ambebi.ge (%)

Positive Neutral Negative Georgian Dream 16 50 34

Government 28 69 3

Mikheil Saakashvili 19 63 18

United National Movement 12 71 17

Prime Minister 19 79

European Georgia 19 78

Strategy Aghmashenebeli 76

15 Coverage of Subjects on the website ambebi.ge September 1 - October 15

Positive Neutral Negative Government 27 64 9

Georgian Dream 23 45 32

Mikheil Saakashvili 20 57 23

United National Movement 15 63 22

Prime Minister 33 65

Local Government 24 48 28

European Georgia 79

Monitoring of popular Facebook pages The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics 14 Coverage of Subjects on the Facebook Page of Gogaggg according to the tone (%) (September 1 - October 15) Positive Neutral Negative United National Movement 11 62 27

Georgian Dream 11 54 35

Government 11 87 2

Mikheil Saakashvili 19 58 23

Prime Minister 40 54 6

Strategy Aghmashenebeli 8 87 5

Labour Party 26 65 9

Coverage of Subjects on the website ambebi.ge September 1 - October 15

Positive Neutral Negative Government 27 64 9

Georgian Dream 23 45 32

Mikheil Saakashvili 20 57 23

United National Movement 15 63 22

Prime Minister 33 65

Local Government 24 48 28

European Georgia 79

Elections Media Monitoring for 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia Social Media

Monitoring of popular Facebook pages Monitoring of popular Facebook pages

Coverage of Subjects on the Facebook Page of Gogaggg according to the tone (%) (September 1 - October 15) Positive Neutral Negative United National Movement 11 62 27

Georgian Dream 11 54 35

Government 11 87 2

Mikheil Saakashvili 19 58 23

Prime Minister 40 54 6

Strategy Aghmashenebeli 8 87 5

Labour Party 26 65 9

# Media Outlet Number of shared media products

1 mshoblebi.ge 25 2 report.ge 21 3 ambavi.cc 19 4 goal.ge 15 5 mtavari.tv 12 6 sputnik-georgia.com 11 7 crystalsport.ge 9 8 itar.ge 8 9 alt-info.com 8 10 formulanews.ge 7

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics 15 Elections Media Monitoring for 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia Social Media

Monitoring of Open Groups

Top ten authors whose media products were shared most of all in open groups:

# Media Outlet Number of shared media products % 1 heretifm.com 276 15.4 2 accentnews.ge 178 9.9 3 report.ge 141 7.9 4 formulanews.ge 125 7 5 news.on.ge 113 6.3 6 sportliga.ge 105 5.9 7 tabula.ge 88 4.9 8 metronome.ge 80 4.5 9 cyc.ge 74 4.1 10 wnews.ge 74 4.1

Coverage of Subjects in open Facebook Pages (%) (September 1 - October 15)

Positive Neutral Negative Government 18 74 8

Georgian Dream 21 42 37

Prime Minister 34 65

United National Movement 9 73 18

Mikheil Saakashvili 22 56 22

European Georgia 79

Alliance of Patriots 33 62

Monitoring of Facebook pages of high-ranking state officials and government agencies

The Georgian# Charter of Journalistic EthicsMedia Outlet Number of shared 16 media products

1 Maestro 24

2 Imedi 21

3 Rustavi 2 6

4 Post TV 5

5 Adjara TV 5

6 Channel One of the Public Broadcaster 2

7 Palitra News 1

Elections Media Monitoring for 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia Social Media

Monitoring of Facebook pages of high-ranking state officials and government agencies

Number of shared media # Media Outlet products 1 Maestro 24 2 Imedi 21 3 Rustavi 2 6 4 Post TV 5 5 Adjara TV 5 6 Channel One of the Public Broadcaster 2 7 Palitra News 1

Monitoring of Facebook pages of political parties and politicians

Georgian Dream # Media Outlet Number of shared materials 1 Imedi 28 2 Rustavi 2 9 3 Palitra news 2 4 Pos TV 2 5 Radio Imedi 1

United National Movement # Media Outlet Number of shared materials 1 Mtavari Channel 33 2 Pirveli TV 21 4 Formula TV 9 5 Palitra News 8 6 Rustavi 2 6 7 Kavkasia 3 8 Imedi TV 1 9 Rioni 1 10 kutaisipost.ge 1 11 newposts.ge 1 12 interpressnews.ge 1 13 primetime.ge 1

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics 17 Elections Media Monitoring for 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia Social Media

European Georgia # Media Outlet Number of shared materials 1 Pirveli TV 19 2 Formula TV 17 3 Mtavari Channel 13 4 Rustavi 2 4 5 Palitra News 3 6 radiotavisupleba.ge 1 7 interpressnews.ge 1

Alliance of Patriots of Georgia # Media Outlet Number of shared materials 1 Media Union Obieqtivi 56 2 tinp.ge1 9 3 Pirveli TV 8 4 Channel Two of the Public Broadcaster 6 5 Rustavi 2 5 6 Kavkasia 2 7 boqlomi.blogpost.com 2 8 Maestro 1 9 Ertsulovneba 1 10 1tv.ge 1 11 ipress.ge 1

1. Facebook took down tinp,ge’s Facebook page on October 23 because of unauthentic conduct

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics 18 Elections Media Monitoring for 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia Social Media

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics 19