The Communications Commission (ComCom), Georgia’s media regulator, issued a written warning to pro-government broadcaster Rustavi 2, saying the channel violated the “impartiality principles” under the amended Law on Broadcasting, which expanded ComCom’s powers to regulate media content.
“Specifically, monitoring conducted by the Communications Commission covering the period from August 10 through August 12 of this year found that, during the channel’s 9:00 p.m. news broadcasts, news coverage appeared to be based on the broadcaster’s personal attitudes and/or opinions,” the regulator said in a September 10 statement.
According to ComCom, since the broadcaster had not been sanctioned for a similar violation during the previous year, the regulator issued a written warning to the channel.
The decision is the latest enforcement action under controversial 2025 amendments that broadened ComCom’s authority to regulate broadcast content. Opposition-leaning Formula TV and TV Pirveli have each been fined twice under the amended rules, while pro-government POSTV was fined GEL 2,500 [ USD 960] in August over coverage the regulator said contained personal opinions and failed to present facts with due accuracy.
In April, pro-government Imedi TV also received a written warning along with other broadcasters over alleged violations of impartiality requirements, after ComCom said it would take a more proactive approach to enforcement, while criticizing the United Kingdom’s decision to sanction Imedi TV and POSTV over “Russian disinformation.”
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