Mass Media in Guria

Guria's media differs from other Georgian regions' media outlets with several factors: 1. Existence of local distribution network; 2. Circulation; 3. Increasing competition; 4. Less financial problems.

Unlike Poti, Zestaponi, Sachkhere and Chiatura newspapers, some newspapers published in Guria have their own distribution networks or plan to create such networks in the near future. Correspondingly, those newspapers are delivered even in the remotest villages of the Guria region.

Whereas the circulation of newspapers in the abovementioned towns rarely exceeds 500 copies per week, circulation of Guria-based newspapers is counted in thousands. Some of those newspapers are published twice or even three times a week. Understandably, competition between the newspapers is growing daily; each of them trying to better suit the readers' needs. Newspapers experience less financial problems because of growing circulation and competition, local small and medium businesses often buy advertisement from those newspapers. Despite it all, there are still newspapers in Guria, which experience serious problems; they don't have normal working conditions and their circulation is rather low.

6 local newspapers are published in three towns of Guria: Ozurgeti, Lanchkhuti and Chokhatauri. These newspapers are: 1. Ho da Ara; 2. Lanchkhuti Plus; 3. Lanchkhutis Moambe; 4. Guriis Moambe; 5. Alioni and 6. Guria News.

Besides, a TV company Guria operates in Ozurgeti district. There is no local radio station in Guria. That is explained by difficult relief of the region and lack of funds necessary for launching and operating a local radio station.

Newspaper Ho da Ara (yes and no)

Newspaper Ho da Ara has been published in Lanchkhuti district during the last ten years. The newspaper's name is derived from Ilia Chavchavadze's phrase: "Yes and no is a struggle, the only way to finding and discovering the truth".

4 page, public-political newspaper Ho da Ara is published three times a week. It's disseminated only in Lanchkhuti district. The newspaper's circulation is 3,000 copies. The newspaper formed its own distribution network, Ho da Ara has 63 distributors. According to founder Nona Gigineishvili, the newspaper has a constant clientele and she knows how many newspapers will be sold in advance.

80% of the newspaper's content is various types of advertisement including birthday, wedding etc. greetings, obituaries, prices of apartments etc. Newspaper has 10 employees. Ho da Ara is self-sufficient and it has never been awarded with a grant before. "We've got so much to do, we have no time for soliciting grants" - Editor-in-chief says.

The newspaper created its website hodaara.ge by itself. Ho da Ara has been published in Kutaisi-based printing houses for years and the newspaper rented its office; however, several months ago the newspaper managed to purchase its own printing house and new office. Nona Gigineishvili told media.ge that her journalists encounter very insignificant problems when doing their jobs. However, years ago there were times when an angry local police chief would burst into their office.

Lanchkhuti Plus

Weekly, public-political newspaper Lanchkhuti Plus was founded in Lanchkhuti in 1995. The newspaper was founded by Zaza Nakashidze.

"The newspaper is free from any political or public influences; it's guided by the principles of free press. The newspaper is published twice a week, the circulation is 1,000 copies, the newspaper is disseminated in Lanchkhuti district" - the newspaper's website reads.

Lanchkhuti Plus' periodicity has been varied in various periods of time; it also had varied dissemination areas over the years. Currently, the newspaper has 8 pages and it's published twice a week. It's disseminated in Lanchkhuti district.

Editor-in-chief of Lanchkhuti Plus Ketevan Nakashidze told media.ge that the newspaper covers politics, economy, legal and social issues, culture and sport. Besides local news, Lanchkhuti Plus covers national and international events. The newspaper employs 5 journalists; the equipment in the office is outdated. Computers were purchased years ago with funding from various organizations. So far the newspaper has been unable to purchase new equipment. The income from advertisements is also low. According to the editor, getting information from Ministry of Interior is the most difficult task. Even when asked the simplest of questions any police officer would answer in the following manner: "please apply to the Ministry's press center". Recently, similar tendencies have become common in schools. School principals also try to avoid the journalists.

Guria News

Public-political newspaper Guria News was founded in 1991 by Lanchkhuti Matsne ltd. Headed by Ia Mamaladze. Currently, the newspaper's circulation is about 6,000 copies, it's published three times a week and disseminated in all the villages of all three districts of Guria region. Guria News is disseminated in Gurian towns and villages by more than 100 distributors. Monday issue has 12 pages and it's printed on color paper, Thursday issue has 8 pages and it's black and white.

Guria News has its offices in Ozurgeti, Lanchkhuti, Chokhatauri and Tbilisi. Guria News publishes newspaper Under 21 once a week, which is disseminated together with Guria News. Subscription to the newspaper costs 3 GEL per month. The newspaper's advertising agency works full time. Due to the multitude of advertisers, they often have to wait in line for days before their advertisement is published. Newspaper has full technical capacity and it's printed in Tbilisi; however, it's still freely disseminated in Guria.

Editor of Under 21 supplement is journalist Nato Gogelia. According to her, the supplement often discusses youth problems, issues concerning school pupils, students etc. The newspaper often conducts polls in order to find out what topics are interesting for the young generation.

Nato Gogelia says the state agencies often win the journalists over. "Lanchkhuti and Chokhatauri administrations' press services are staffed with our journalists. The authorities issue new newspapers in the pre-election period and try to win over our distributors so that they disseminate their newspapers" - Nato Gogelia says.

Head of Ozurgeti office of Guria News Temur Marshanishvili told media.ge the same thing. He also added that information concerning such issues as budget, economy, infrastructure etc. is often hidden. During the pre-election period the authorities tried to purchase all of the copies of the newspaper's issue. According to Marshanishvili, authorities sometimes try to block the journalists' access to certain events.

"It's absolutely impossible to receive any type of information from the law-enforcers. For example, there was a car accident involving Deputy Head of Administration. We wanted police's confirmation of the fact, but they made no comment about it" - the journalist says. According to him, access to local municipal council sessions is free and nobody prevents journalists to attend them.

In January 2010 journalist Shorena Ghlonti filed a lawsuit in court demanding public information from Chokhatauri Administration. She was refused part of the information and another portion of it was given to her very late. Shorena Ghlonti wanted to get copies of documents describing the procurements made by local police departments from Lanchkhuti budget. She also wanted to receive copies of agreements concerning expenditures from the reserve fund.

Journalists of Guria News regularly visit local villages and prepare articles about the problems existing there.

Guriis Moambe

In 2004 Open Society Georgia Foundation announced a competition in which a group of journalists headed by Lado Menabde took part. After that group was awarded the grant they founded newspaper Guriis Moambe. 60% of the newspaper's shares is owned by Lado Menabde, who's at the same time the newspaper's Editor-in-chief. The 40% of the newspaper's shares is owned by three journalists of Guriis Moambe.

Guriis Moambe is published twice a week, the Monday issue has 8-12 pages, the Thursday issue has 4-8 pages. Subscription to the newspaper costs 2 GEL per month. Journalists are involved in the distribution of Guriis Moambe. The newspaper is transported to villages by bus drivers; as for the towns, the newspaper is sold in shops and booths there. This year the newspaper plans to launch its own distribution network. In winter and summer the newspaper's circulation is 2,000 copies and in spring and autumn the newspaper's circulation is 3,000 copies.

"We're mainly funded by donor organizations. Currently, we're implementing a project titled Regional Media for Regions together with TV station Guria. The budget of the project is $24,000. Under that project we must prepare about 200 reports over the course of 10 months in the remote villages of Guria. Besides, we must establish 14 offices in three districts of Guria. Currently, Guriis Moambe has three well equipped offices in Ozurgeti, Lanchkhuti and Chokhatauri" - Lado Menabde told media.ge.

According to him, journalists' main problem is gathering of information - they all sit by the computers with internet access, but they still don't utilize that resource effectively. Receiving information from state agencies is also difficult and some state agencies refuse to provide any public information. Those state agencies don't issue any press releases.

"I can't recall receiving any press release from them during these last three years. They inform us about certain events over the phone" - Lado Menabde says. According to him, it's quite hard to keep the journalists due to low salaries. Some of them move to central media and some move to work in state institutions.

The newspaper plans to form an advertising agency and distribution network in future. Currently, journalists have to fulfill these tasks. There are about 10 journalists employed by Guriis Moambe. In 2009 Guriis Moamve received a grant from Open Society Georgia Foundation in order to create its own website. The website publishes video recordings of TV station Guria's newscasts too.

Newspaper Alioni

Before 1990 the newspaper was called Leninis Drosha (Lenin's flag), since 1990 it's called Alioni (The Dawn). The newspaper's current editor is Nugzar Asatiani. 3 more journalists are working in the newspaper. Alioni is a 4 page (sometimes 8 page) weekly edition, its circulation is 500 copies, the newspaper is disseminated in Ozurgeti district and its price is 20 tetris. Alioni's office is poorly equipped, there are no computers there. Journalists have to use the editor's PC in his home in order to prepare their articles.

According to Nugzar Asatiani, the newspaper's office has been robbed several times. Its computer center was devastated. In 2005 a fire completely destroyed Alioni's office. "I was elected the editor of Alioni in 2006. I was summoned by the police in connection with the materials published by our newspaper concerning January 5, 2008 presidential elections. The authorities try to hinder the distribution of my newspaper. Schools are ordered to subscribe to concrete newspapers, but not to Alioni" - Nugzar Asatiani wrote in his email addressed to media.ge

TV station Guria

TV company Guria launched its broadcasting on November 2, 1992. It was founded by Merab Sioridze. Ownership of the TV station was contested for years. Since February 12 the TV station was returned to its original owner. Director General of Guria TV station is Zurab Gobronadze. TV station's signal covers Guria and part of Abkhazia. Due to the difficult relief of the region, the TV station's signal can't be received in many parts of Guria.

"We moved our transmitting station to the village of Jumati more than a year ago. It allowed us to increase our coverage area, but our transmitter faces Kutaisi transmitter. We were unable to broadcast our programs during several months of 2006, as a result we lost our viewers. The locals have turned their antennas towards the Kutaisi transmitter and now they're mainly watching the Tbilisi-based TV stations. They don't eren want to turn their antennas back in order to catch our signal" - Executive Director of TV station Guria Avto Gvelebiani says.

TV station broadcasts 18 hours a day. Its newscast is aired three times a week and its duration is about 15-25 minutes. TV station covers only local news. Besides, the TV station airs the following programs: SMS Show, music videos and feature films. TV debates are produced sporadically.

TV company has no other programs. Guria TV channel has only three main employees and a few interns. Thanks to the US Embassy's funding, the TV station created mobile groups, which travel to various villages and prepare stories three times a week.

The main problem for the TV station is lack of information and lack of qualified personnel. Two main journalists of the TV station also work in a local newspaper.

TV station is sustained with limited advertising revenues and grants from donor organizations, the TV company also sells its airtime to local administration and nongovernmental organizations.

The managers of the TV company believe that Guria TV station cannot compete with the nation-wide TV channels and that's the main problem of the TV channel.