Parliamentary Elections 2008 Pre-Electoral TV-Monitoring Summarizing Report (April 10 –May 20 2008)

TV Monitoring Project of “PRIMETIME” is aimed at monitoring of information network and electoral advertisements on all Central Georgian TV-Channels; Monitoring covers all kind of information about parties, candidates, and their supporters participating in the upcoming elections. Project is being prepared on the basis of “PRIMETIME’s” Media-informational Bank and recordings of whole broadcasting network of TV-Channels. Objects of the monitoring are political parties, their representatives and candidates who are participating in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Project consists of two parts: Information Grid monitoring and TV advertisements monitoring.

Sources of Monitoring 6 Georgian Main TV channels were selected for the monitoring: Public Broadcaster Rustavi 2 Mze Imedi Kavkasia Pirveli Stereo TV channel Programmes Daily and main news programmes (morning/afternoon, primetime, evening). Talk Shows and debates Paid Political Advertising Free Political Advertising www.primetime.ge

Monitoring of Information Grid Monitoring of Information Grid will be developed towards two directions: News Programs Monitoring consists of subjective (visual) and objective positioning analysis of subjects participating in elections – political parties, their representatives, leaders and supporters’, by chosen five channels[1]. Talk-Shows and Political Debates Monitoring gives analysis of subjective (visual) and objective positioning of political parties, their representatives, leaders and supporters’ in Talk-shows and political debates.

Monitoring of Information Grid Monitoring of News Programs and Talk-Shows is carried out in two directions: Subjective (visual) positioning - analysis of the air time provided to political parties and their representatives, participating in the elections, on the basis of reports’ quantity, time-study, channels, parties, persons. Objective positioning – analysis of information reported on the TV-Channels about parties and representative persons: on the basis of informational reportages: number of TV shots, time-study, accents (by channels, parties, and persons).

Monitoring of TV advertisements Monitoring of TV advertisements is aimed at quantitative analysis of advertisements during pre-electoral period on TV-Channels, with two main segments: Quantitative analysis of paid advertisement (by channels, number of ads and time-study) Quantitative analysis of unpaid advertisement (by channels, number of ads and time-study)

Free Political Advertisement Time-Study by TV-Channels 10. 04-20. 05

Paid Political Advertisement Time-Study by TV-Channels 10. 04-20. 05

Time Set for Political Parties (Time-Study) 10.04-20.05.2008

Time Set for Political Parties (Time-Study) 10.04-20.05.2008

Time Set for Political Parties (Time-Study) 10.04-20.05.2008

Time Set for Political Parties (Time-Study) 10.04-20.05.2008

Frequency of Mentioning Political Parties (objective mentioning) 10.04-20.05.2008 Public Broadcast

Frequency of Mentioning Political Parties (objective mentioning) 10.04-20.05.2008

Frequency of Mentioning Political Parties (objective mentioning) 10.04-20.05.2008

Frequency of Mentioning Political Parties (objective mentioning) 10.04-20.05.2008

Mentioning of Political Parties per Accents 10.04-20.05.2008

Mentioning of Political Parties per Accents 10.04-20.05.2008

Mentioning of Political Parties per Accents 10.04-20.05.2008

Time set for representatives of the parties (According to general and electoral topic) 10.04-20.05.2008 # Person General Topic Election topic 1 M.Saakashvili  15:52:03 1:05:00 2 T.Khidasheli  0:42:39 3:55:53 3 D.Bakradze  2:22:09 2:00:10 4 Giorgi Targamadze 0:06:22 3:56:08 5 S.Natelashvili  0:03:58 3:54:34 6 G.Maisashvili  0:04:00 3:43:26 7 L.Gachechiladze  0:03:08 3:32:58 8 D.Usupashvili  0:11:42 3:23:12 9 N.Burdjanadze  2:01:35 1:24:59 10 K.Kukava  0:27:13 2:40:41 11 T.Iakobashvili 3:05:00 0:00:00 12 L.Berdzenishvili  0:07:46 2:53:43 13 D.Gamkrelidze  0:04:34 2:42:04 14 G.Ugulava  0:48:48 1:45:52 15 A.Asatiani  0:19:35 2:09:21 16 G.Baramidze  2:06:13 0:22:33 17 G.Goguadze  0:13:14 2:11:38 18 G.Gugava  0:09:45 2:08:34 19 D.Zurabishvili  0:00:09 2:04:38 20 E.Beselia  0:25:41 1:37:12 21 L.Gurgenidze  1:53:26 22 G.Pipia  1:48:11 # Person General Topic Election topic 23 Z.Dzidziguri   0:01:47 1:42:35 24 I.Khaindrava  0:09:00 1:34:28 25 V.Khmaladze  0:00:00 1:42:52 26 D.Saganelidze  0:00:17 1:35:38 27 S.Zurabishvili  0:14:01 1:19:41 28 I.Batiashvili  0:06:28 1:22:09 29 K.Davitashvili  0:21:38 1:06:49 30 L.Ghvinjilia  0:00:57 1:27:00 31 D.Chichinadze  1:27:35 32 S.Shatberashvili  0:12:24 1:12:40 33 N.Orvelashvili  0:26:20 0:57:12 34 G.Meladze  0:16:17 1:15:52 35 Z.Tkemaladze  0:20:10 1:01:54 36 G.Maghradze  0:01:04 1:20:15 37 G.Targamadze  0:31:56 0:49:16 38 G.Tortladze  1:18:32 39 P.Jibladze  0:04:27 1:12:53 40 L.Zhvania  0:08:37 1:05:42 41 G.Tsereteli 0:11:01 1:01:58 42 M.Nachkebiaა  0:15:32 0:55:17 43 K.Dzagania  1:08:43 44 D.Tarkhan-Mouravi   0:04:14 1:04:35

Time set for representatives of the parties (According to general and electoral topic) 10.04-20.05.2008 # Person General topic Election topic 45 K.Shartava  0:00:16 1:07:21 46 M.Anikashvili  0:02:48 1:04:13 47 R.Kervalishvili  0:03:26 1:01:33 48 A.Gegenava  0:05:49 0:53:32 49 L.Vepkhvadze  0:03:58 0:55:06 50 G.Asanidze  0:03:03 0:55:49 51 K.Gabashvili  0:57:21 0:00:00 52 G.Khaindrava 0:01:31 0:55:46 53 G.Gabashvili  0:00:59 0:55:23 54 R.Shavishvili  0:54:29 55 K.Subeliani  0:11:39 0:41:06 56 N.Kirtadze  0:13:33 0:38:38 57 P.Chikhradze  0:00:24 0:51:19 58 L.Gaprindashvilii  0:49:59 59 G.Gachechiladze  0:00:40 0:49:17 60 G.Jojua  0:01:26 0:47:55 61 Z.Gamtsemlidze  0:11:36 0:37:36 62 L.Mukhashavria  0:11:05 0:34:10 63 E.Sharashenidze  0:44:36 64 D.Berdzenishvili  0:01:57 0:40:30 65 N.Rurua  0:42:22 66 M.Lomashvili  0:41:33 # Person General topic Election topic 67 G.Chachanidze  0:00:00 0:40:07 68 D.Khabuliani 0:01:43 0:37:13 69 R.Mishveladze 0:38:55 70 G.Chakhvadze  0:07:51 0:29:56 71 M.Katsitadze  0:00:36 0:35:21 72 G.Kobakhidze  0:00:16 0:34:44 73 L.Mamaladze  0:34:39 74 I.Inashvili  0:34:01 75 K.Guntsadze  0:06:36 0:27:10 76 G.Akhvlediani  0:03:11 0:29:58 77 N.Gvaramia  0:05:11 0:27:37 78 L.Kvaratskhelia  0:01:19 0:30:20 79 N.Tsiklauri  0:00:25 0:30:40 80 G.Kvachantiradze  0:00:15 0:29:37 81 R.Ioseliani  0:28:56 82 E.Tkeshelashvili 0:27:53 83 J.Patiashvili 0:27:36 84 D.Darchiashvili  0:10:00 0:16:35 85 M.Machavariani  0:05:28 0:19:50 86 G.Roinishvili  0:00:11 0:25:04 87 G.Macharashvili  0:24:44 88 P.Antia 0:24:35

The frequency for mentioning party representatives (According to general and election topic) 10.04-20.05.2008 # Person General topic Election topic 1 M.Saakashvili 8:52:45 7:01:35 2 N.Burdjanadze  1:44:08 2:52:10 3 D.Bakradze  1:27:02 1:01:12 4 Giorgi Targamadze  0:07:07 1:43:11 5 G.Meladze  0:04:22 1:38:20 6 D.Iakobashvili  1:42:23 0:00:00 7 G.Goguadze  0:06:32 1:23:22 8 G.Ugulava  0:17:19 1:11:56 9 T.Khidasheli  0:04:03 1:19:06 10 E.Beselia  0:08:50 1:12:17 11 R.Kervalishvili  0:04:52 1:14:51 12 L.Gurgenidze  1:00:18 0:14:50 13 S.Natelashvili  0:03:54 1:05:44 14 G.Baramidze  1:08:45 15 Z.Gamtsemlidze 0:06:57 0:54:13 16 K.Kukava   0:05:17 0:54:52 17 L.Zhvania  0:03:57 0:52:10 18 M.Samadashvili 0:00:52 0:54:49 19 L.Gachechiladze  0:01:22 0:52:22 20 D.Gamkrelidze  0:03:04 0:49:57 21 E.Tkeshelashvili  0:40:18 0:11:03 22 G,Asanidze  0:02:30 0:47:42 # Person General topic Election topic 23 G.Maisashvili 0:01:01 0:40:57 24 A.Gegenava  0:04:36 0:38:50 25 L.Berdzenishvili  0:02:34 0:39:42 26 D.Usupashvili 0:02:43 0:38:36 27 I.Batiashvili 0:13:22 0:27:22 28 K.Davitashvili  0:02:54 0:37:14 29 L.Kvaratskhelia  0:01:39 0:38:22 30 G.Gugava  0:02:10 0:37:32 31 D.Khabuliani 0:01:23 0:37:24 32 K.Subeliani 0:07:43 0:28:28 33 I.Alasania   0:31:51 0:00:00 34 V.Merabishvili  0:04:51 0:25:24 35 M.Anikashvili  0:00:11 0:25:39 36 G.Tsereteli 0:03:12 0:21:43 37 E.Sharashenidze  0:24:49 38 Z.Dzidziguri  0:00:30 0:24:19 39 D.Bezhuashvili  0:02:32 0:20:48 40 D.Berdzenishvili  0:00:59 0:20:57 41 G.Maghradze  0:01:34 0:19:46 42 D.Zurabishvili 0:21:10 43 K.Ochiauri  0:00:44 0:19:45 44 V.Khmaladze  0:20:08

The frequency for mentioning party representatives (According to general and election topic) 10.04-20.05.2008 # Person General topic Election topic 45 M.Machavariani  0:03:17 0:16:02 46 G.Targamadze 0:03:44 0:15:26 47 G.Roinishvili  0:00:22 0:18:22 48 G.Topadze  0:01:15 0:17:28 49 N.Tsiklauri  0:00:15 0:18:16 50 K.Dzagania  0:00:00 0:18:21 51 R.Shavishvili 0:18:05 52 D.Kirkitadze  0:07:24 0:10:23 53 A.Asatiani  0:02:45 0:14:56 54 V.Giorgobiani  0:17:07 55 I.Khaidrava  0:00:48 0:15:21 56 G.Bokeria  0:01:18 0:14:49 57 Z.Tkemaladze  0:02:13 0:13:47 58 L.Gaprindashvili  0:00:02 0:15:32 59 K.Shartava  0:15:01 60 K.Gabashvili 0:14:02 61 Goderdzi Bukia   0:04:01 0:09:54 62 L.Mukhashavria  0:13:48 63 S.Shatberashvili 0:02:16 0:11:30 64 G.Sanikidze  0:00:19 0:13:26 65 G.Pipia  0:00:25 0:13:11 66 D.Darchiashvili  0:00:55 0:12:38 67 S.Kvitashvili  0:13:06 # Person General topic Election topic 68 D.Saganelidze  0:00:35 0:12:30 69 A.Bobokhidze  0:02:26 0:10:07 70 G.Khaindrava  0:00:38 0:12:18 71 N.Kirtadze  0:01:17 0:11:09 72 M.Lomashvili 0:00:00 0:12:12 73 G.Akhvlediani   0:00:07 0:11:31 74 L.Ghvindjilia  0:00:05 0:11:07 75 D.Kezerashvili  0:10:54 76 T.Charkviani  0:00:58 0:09:43 77 T.Shashiashvili  0:10:14 78 V.Gelashvili 0:00:14 0:09:53 79 G.Gabashvili  0:00:08 0:09:52 80 P.Jibladze   0:02:03 0:07:55 81 G.Gachechiladze  0:00:30 0:09:25 82 Z.Melikishvili  0:00:43 0:09:01 83 P.Tsiskarishvili  0:02:25 0:07:14 84 J.Baghaturia  0:00:28 0:09:07 85 G.Bukia  0:09:27 86 G.Jojua  0:01:45 0:07:31 87 G.Tortladze  0:08:40 88 P. Chikhradze  0:00:19 0:08:42 89 D.Tkeshelashvili 0:08:45 90 P.Mamradze  0:07:57

Analysis and findings (10.04-20.05.2008) All the Broadcasters accordingly with the norms of the law, timely provide the CEC with the information about setting of the political advertisements on their Channels. (The information is provided in advance and later as a report of carried out works). As for TV Monitoring during pre-electoral period, free political advertisements of qualified subjects were set equally; during the last two report weeks Public Broadcast set free air time for all parties and blocs. From May 5 TV-Imedi started its broadcasting; the channel has set advertisements of qualified subjects, also. During pre-electoral period and especially after April 21 the most balanced was Public Broadcast, which widely reviewed activities of all electoral subjects. In whole Rustavi 2 was balanced as well; still the Joint Opposition, Party of Republicans and National Movement were reviewed more widely. The same tendencies occurred on TV-Channel Mze. As for Kavkasia, the Joint Opposition was leading in the newscasts. In whole, during the first report week, time set for political parties and blocs was colorful, but it became more balanced during the next report weeks. Accordingly with the time set for the electoral subjects in Talk-Shows, again, most balanced became Public Broadcast; the channel set its live air for all electoral subjects. In general, Rustavi 2 presented large-scale parties. And Kavkasia occurred to be a record breaker - the television set 14.08 hours for the Joint Opposition. In whole, Talk-Shows widely presented electoral subjects, but only Public Broadcast has set time for all of them. Accordingly with the frequency of mentioning National Movement and the Joint Opposition were leading on all the channels, which means that these two parties are most frequent subjects of discussion in different context. As for mentioning per accents, in both positive and negative mentioning National Movement was a leader. But most of the reportages were balanced and indices of neutral mentioning once again emphasize this tendency. By positioning of political parties and Governmental representatives during the pre-electoral period M. Saakashvili was leading in both subjective and objective positioning of non-electoral reportages; as for electoral ones, Leader of Christian-Democratic Movement Giorgi Targamadze was leading; in whole, in top ten of the non electoral reportages Governmental representatives were leading. Still, there are reportages of electoral issues where governmental officials are participating.

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