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Public Broadcaster Pre-Election Monitoring Report 1.09.20 - 30.10.20

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Public Broadcaster Pre-Election Monitoring Report 1.09.20 - 30.10.20 PUBLIC BROADCASTER PRE-ELECTION MONITORING REPORT 1.09.20 - 30.10.20 ELECTIONS 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS FIRST CHANNEL __________________________________________________________________ 5 News Programs ____________________________________________________________________ 5 Analytical shows / talk shows _______________________________________________________ 19 Coverage of monitored subjects by gender __________________________________________ 22 GEORGIAN RADIO _________________________________________________________________ 25 News Programs ____________________________________________________________________26 Georgian Radio Talk Show __________________________________________________________ 34 ADVERTISEMEN ___________________________________________________________________ 35 Free advertising time used by election subjects on the First Channel and Georgian Radio____________________________________ 35 THE MONITORING RESULTS SHOW THE MAIN TRENDS IN THE EDITORIAL POLICY OF THE PUBLIC BROADCASTER: In news programs, election subjects are covered according to their activities. Analytical programs and talk shows focus more on the coverage of parties that remain outside the attention of voters in a polarized election environment and media environment. Against the background of sharply polarized election actors, the highest percentage of the broadcaster’s coverage tone is neutral. 2 ELECTIONS 2020 The First Channel and Georgian Radio have been monitoring all news and socio-political programs since September 1st, and the aim is to count the quantitative data of the time allo- cated to the monitored subjects. It is important that monitoring is done through a specially designed program, with links to the TV shows / stories attached. Monitors trained in the specifics of different platforms and shows are monitoring and process both Prime Time and Off Prime information. THE SUBJECTS OF MONITORING ARE: • Parties / blocs registered with the CEC for the 2020 parliamentary elections of Georgia • Majoritarian candidates nominated by Initiative Groups for Parliamentary Elections, and registered at the CEC • Election subjects registered with the CEC for the Sakrebulo By-elections and Extraordinary Mayoral Elections • Election subjects of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara • Government • Parliament • President • Local governments • CEC • NGOs • International organizations ELECTIONS 2020 3 MONITORING METHODOLOGY Quantitative data of election monitoring include the time allotted to the subject (speaker), and direct and indirect coverage according to the time allotted and the tone of coverage (positive, negative, neutral). It must be explained that the time allotted to the subject (speak- er) is a direct coverage of the subject. We are highlighting this data to focus on the percent- age of time allocated to election subjects by the broadcaster. › IT IS CONSIDERED DIRECT COVERAGE WHEN THE SUBJECT SPEAKS HIMSELF › IT IS CONSIDERED INDIRECT COVERAGE WHEN OTHERS TALK ABOUT THE SUBJECT The monitor separately marks all the objects mentioned by the subject, indicating the timing and the tone of coverage. Timing is not rounded during election monitoring. When determin- ing the tone of coverage: STATEMENTS ARE CONSIDERED NEGATIVE IF THE SPEAKER IS USING HARSH WORDS WITH NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS STATEMENTS ARE CONSIDERED POSITIVE IF THE SPEAKER IS USING WORDS WITH POSITIVE CONNOTATIONS THE DESCRIPTION OF THE SITUATION, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FACTS, AS WELL AS INFOR- MATION THAT DESCRIBES EVENTS WITHOUT THE USE OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE CONNOTA- TIONS IS CONSIDERED NEUTRAL. Monitoring reflects the assessment of the total time allocated to the subjects according to the tone, as well as the time and tone of the coverage / mentioning of the subjects by the journalist. Here is the whole report of the pre-election monitoring of the First Channel and Georgian Radio. The report also includes monitoring of the subjects covered by the First Channel in terms of gender and monitoring of free advertising time used by election subjects on the First Channel and Georgian Radio. 4 ELECTIONS 2020 NEWS PROGRAMS MOAMBE - 08:00 MOAMBE - 10:00 MOAMBE - 15:00 MOAMBE - 21:00 MOAMBE - 09:00 MOAMBE - 12:00 MOAMBE - 18:00 The report includes all the monitored subjects featured both in the election-related and unre- lated topics in daily “Moambe” news program all the seven programs “Moambe” . ELECTIONS 2020 5 THE ELECTION SUBJECTS OF MONITORING The monitored election subjects are organized in groups in the report. In addition to regis- tered parties / blocs, they include the total duration of coverage of majoritarian candidates nominated by initiative groups (presented in the report as independent MP candidates), the time allotted to sakrebulo by-elections, and early mayoral election subjects in total (pre- sented in the report as local government elections), and total time devoted to the election subjects of the Supreme Council of Adjara (presented in the report as the elections of the Supreme Council of Adjara). The parties / blocs are indicated by the names under which they participate in the elections. The data is taken from the official website of the CEC. During the report period, the number of election topics covered in all issues of Moambe was 1712, with allotted time of 50:00:21 (Fifty hours, zero minutes and twenty-one seconds). According to the monitoring data, the coverage is carried out in accordance with the ac- tivity of the election subjects. A total of 52 monitored subjects were covered, including 49 registered parties / blocs. The time allotted to the presented election subjects (speakers) in Moambe is 23:29:50 (Twenty-three hours, twenty-nine minutes, and fifty seconds). “Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia” has the highest score (3:54:46), The bloc United National Movement - United Opposition “Strength is in Unity” (3:29:00) is in second place, Bakradze, Ugulava, Bokeria – “European Georgia - Movement for Liberty” (3:21:33) is in third place. These are the three entities with the most activities of the current election campaign, their activities are proportionally reflected in the Moambe, and accordingly can be seen in the monitoring results. At the same time, the observation of the dynamics of the election subjects coverage shows that the pre-election campaign of “Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia” entered the most active phase two weeks before the elections and, therefore, was promoted among the competing subjects. 6 ELECTIONS 2020 (TABLE # 1 - ELECTION SUBJECTS (SPEAKERS) IN MOAMBE WITH INDICATION OF ALLOCATED TIME AND PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION) ELECTION SUBJECTS TIME PERCENTAGE Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia 3:54:46 16.65% Bloc - United National Movement - United Opposition “Strength is in Unity” 3:29:00 14.82% Bakradze, Ugulava, Bokeria – “European Georgia - Movement for Liberty” 3:21:33 14.30% Bloc - Giorgi Vashadze-Strategy Aghmashenebeli 1:25:32 6.07% Lelo - Mamuka Khazaradze 1:22:24 5.84% Nino Burjanadze - United Georgia - Democratic Movement 1:12:31 5.14% Shalva Natelashvili - Georgian Labour Party 1:00:43 4.31% Davit Tarkhan-Mouravi, Irma Inashvili – “Alliance of Georgian Patriots” 0:38:46 2.75% Eka Beselia - Political Party “For Justice” 0:34:16 2.43% Free Georgia (Kakha Kukava, Giorgi Tsulaia) 0:33:45 2.39% Political union of citizens “Our Georgia - Solidarity Alliance of Georgia” 0:31:54 2.26% Aleko Elisashvili - Citizens 0:23:34 1.67% Independent MP candidate 0:22:16 1.58% Jondo Baghaturia - Georgian Troupe 0:20:59 1.49% Girchi 0:17:33 1.24% Davit Chichinadze-Tribuna - CDM 0:14:16 1.01% Free Democrats 0:13:34 0.96% Bezhan Gunava- Georgian Choice 0:12:43 0.90% Irakli Okruashvili - Victorious Georgia 0:12:34 0.89% Zviad Dzidziguri - Conservative Party of Georgia 0:12:28 0.88% Georgian March - National Movement 0:11:56 0.85% For Social Justice 0:10:53 0.77% Reformer 0:10:43 0.76% Choice for Homeland 0:10:13 0.72% Future Georgia 0:10:07 0.72% Gia Zhorzholiani “Social - Democrats for Development of Georgia” 0:07:51 0.56% Progressive Georgia 0:07:22 0.52% (Political Party) “Whites” 0:07:20 0.52% Tamaz Mechiauri for United Georgia 0:07:03 0.50% Political Union of Citizens “Political Movement of Armed Veterans and Patriots of Georgia” 0:06:26 0.46% Peoples Party 0:06:20 0.45% Georgian Roots 0:06:16 0.44% Tavisupleba ‒ Zviad Gamsakhurdias Gza 0:05:55 0.42% National Democratic Movement 0:05:38 0.40% Gachechiladze – Greens’ Party 0:05:36 0.40% Georgian Idea 0:05:33 0.39% Georgian Development Party 0:05:32 0.39% Change Georgia 0:05:11 0.37% New Power 0:05:00 0.35% “Road of Zviadi” (For God, Justice for the Country) 0:05:00 0.35% Socialist Workers’ Party 0:05:00 0.35% ELECTIONS 2020 7 New Christian-Democrats 0:05:00 0.35% Traditionalists 0:05:00 0.35% Reformers 0:05:00 0.35% Local government elections 0:03:30 0.25% Sakartvelo 0:03:00 0.21% Elections of the Supreme Council of Adjara 0:01:38 0.12% Sergo Javakhadze - Euro-Atlantic Vector 0:00:40 0.05% Time dedicated to the indirect coverage of election subjects was 18:09:51 (Eighteen hours, nine minutes and fifty-one seconds). The party “Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia” has the highest indirect coverage (5:43:21), which means that other monitoring entities devoted the most time to talking about the Georgian Dream. In the second place is the bloc “United National Movement - United Opposition “Strength is in Unity” (3:58:44); in the third place is “Bakradze, Ugulava, Bokeria – “European Georgia - Movement for Liberty” (1:43:19). The monitoring revealed indirect coverage of the opposition in general
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