Georgia: Tbilisi Blames Moscow for End of Anti-Kremlin Satellite Channel's Broadcasts

Officials in Georgia believe that Kremlin skullduggery has succeeded in pulling the plug on a Georgian satellite television channel capable of broadcasting Russian-language content throughout the former Soviet Union.

In late January, Eutelsat, a French satellite broadcast operator, abruptly stopped transmission of Georgia's First Caucasian channel, which was set up to promote Tbilisi's viewpoint among Russian-speaking viewers. First Caucasian representatives say that Russian broadcast executives, acting at the Kremlin's behest, were behind Eutelsat's decision. The channel's managers claim that Moscow wants to muzzle pro-Tbilisi broadcasts and to effectively block its ability to reach a Russian-speaking audience. [For additional information click here].

The direct cause for the shut-down is a supposed Eutelsat deal with Russian satellite company Intersputnik for broadcasts of a channel reportedly financed by Gazprom, the Kremlin-controlled energy behemoth. First Caucasian representatives contend the Eutelsat's deal with Intersputnik gave the Russian entity control of all 16 transponders on the French firm's W7 satellite, which was being used by the Georgian broadcaster. As a result, Intersputnik effectively pushed First Caucasian off the air, according to representatives of Georgian Public Broadcasting (GPB), which financed the Russian-language channel.

During late-January discussions between GPB and Eutelsat representatives, the French firm reportedly offered to transmit First Caucasian on other satellites, but the Georgians refused, citing the fact that only the W7 satellite beams programming that is viewable in Russia with existing dishes, according to GPB's version of events. Switching to different satellites would have required Russian viewers to purchase new dishes in order to receive the First Caucasian signal. During the same discussions, Eutelsat reportedly attributed the interruption in the transmission of First Caucasian broadcasts to hackers, GPB representatives contended.

"They [Eutelsat] have suddenly changed the initially discussed deal and proposed terms that are not realistic," said First Caucasian Executive Producer Zurab Dvali. "We have reasons to believe that the Russians, who transmit many channels via Eutelsat satellites, have told them not to transmit our channel. É It is very regrettable that the French, who come here [to Tbilisi] and preach to us about democracy and freedom of speech, brush aside these concepts when it comes to business and politics."

Citing an unnamed diplomat in Tbilisi, the right-wing Parisian daily Le Figaro reported on January 27 that Eutelsat is allegedly under pressure from Russia not to carry the channel. An anonymous Eutelsat employee also reported "interferences" that could terminate the company's association with First Caucasian.

First Caucasian started broadcasting online on January 1 and launched test broadcasts on Eutelsat on January 15. Eutelsat stopped carrying the channel roughly a week later, television representatives say.

In response to queries from EurasiaNet, Eutelsat attributed the cessation of First Caucasian programming to the conclusion of the channel's trial testing period. "[F]or one week there was a test period of the channel, which has now finished, and É we are now in discussion of future options," Eutelsat spokesperson Vanessa O'Connor wrote in an email. "It is not company policy to comment on on-going negotiations, so we have no further comments at this stage."

O'Connor on February 1 rejected accusations that Moscow exerted any influence on negotiations. She indicated that there were no immoveable obstacles that would prevent Eutelsat and First Caucasian from reaching a new deal.

Georgian Public Broadcasting Company General Director Gia Chanturia hinted to EurasiaNet that Eutelsat was reneging on contractual obligations. "We have a contract, which lays out the terms of the deal pretty clearly, but now they [Eutelsat representatives] are finding fault with everything -- be it content, technical problems, finances or what have you," Chanturia said.

Eutelsat operates the only two satellites in Europe that are "well positioned" to cover Russia and other former Soviet states, Chanturia added. "I assure you we will do everything to ensure that the original deal is implemented," he said.

The Eutelsat incident is sure to fuel diplomatic misgivings in Tbilisi about France. Georgian officials already feel vexed by France's failure to ensure Russian compliance with the cease-fire agreement that ended the 2008 Georgian-Russian war. Tbilisi is also unhappy with Paris' plans to sell one or more Mistral warships to Moscow. Both points are seen as signs that France is not a reliable partner for Georgia. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

Government supporters argue that First Caucasian's anti-Kremlin stance makes a broadcast deal distasteful for Eutelsat, an opinion that appears to overlook the fact that the satellite broadcaster is a private company.

One First Caucasian producer describes the station as an alternative to tightly controlled Russian media coverage of the Caucasus. "We will show Russian brutalities in the North Caucasus, in Chechnya and Dagestan, violations of human rights across the country, everything you'll never see on Russian TV," said Russian journalist Oleg Panfilov, a show host who also has helped develop the channel's content.

Panfilov's show, "Georgia with Oleg Panfilov," focuses on Georgia's ethnic diversity in a bid to dispel some Soviet-era stereotypes of Georgia that still prevail in Russian media outlets. "In Soviet times, Georgia was given the role of a big steakhouse on a sunny beach," Panfilov said. "Now it is described as an unstable, nationalist country. But there is so much more that is going on in this country, and people, especially in Russia, must be informed about it."

The station operates on an annual budget of 2 millionÐ3 million lari (about $1.15 million - $1.72 million), according to Panfilov. Although much of the channel's programming focuses on human-interest stories and culture, its news programs have attracted the bulk of Moscow's ire. From the start, Russian politicians and media outlets have castigated First Caucasian as a Georgian-government propaganda outlet.

Panfilov noted that bad press in Russia was giving ratings a boost. The station did not "spend a penny on advertising," he said. "It was the smear campaign in the Russian media that did all the advertising for us."