Media Outsourcing Deal Raises Concern about Government Meddling in Public Broadcaster

An outsourcing deal designed to enhance the reach of a government-run Russian-language television channel in Georgia instead threatens to bog down the station in controversy.

The channel, known as Peryvi Kavkaski (Caucasus One), was created in October 2009 in an effort by President Mikheil Saakashvili’s administration to counteract unfavorable television coverage of Georgia that is broadcast on channels controlled by the Russian government.

Since its launch, however, Caucasus One has experienced problems. In late January, for example, the French satellite provider, Eutelsat, pulled the plug on Caucasus One broadcasts. Georgian media representatives blamed the move on Kremlin maneuvering. [For background see EurasiaNet’s archive].
Top management and board members of Georgian Public Broadcasting (GPB), the entity responsible for overseeing Caucasus One operations, voted July 14 to outsource the Russian-language station’s operations. The very next day, it was announced that a firm known as K1, run by British journalist and Caucasus specialist Robert Parsons, had been selected to handle Caucasus One’s operations. GPB is a state agency that, by law, operates independently from the government.

The timing of the announcement raised suspicions among Saakashvili critics about possible government meddling in GPB’s decision-making process. Helping to fuel suspicions were media reports indicating that Saakashvili administration officials hand-picked K1 for the job. K1’s management contract is reportedly worth 4.7 million Georgian lari, or about $2.55 million.

K1 was the only company considered for the contract, according to GPB Deputy General Director Maya Bichikashvili. “When the funds are allocated from the special reserve fund, there is no tender needed,” she explained, adding that Parsons was a natural choice for the job, citing his “clear vision” for media development in Georgia.

K1, she said, proposed the outsourcing arrangement. According to her, GPB started negotiations with Parsons in late June, and, once they received an official letter from K1 presenting its proposal for management of Caucasus One, they turned to the board to ask permission to outsource the channel.

Parsons, a seasoned journalist known for his work in the Caucasus for television stations like BBC and France 24, told EurasiaNet that the Georgian government came to him in “early spring” to discuss his possible involvement with the channel. “To begin with, they just ran the idea past me – I said it was a fascinating idea but I couldn’t give an immediate answer,” he said. “I had to think hard whether I really wanted to, but they made it pretty interesting. It’s an exciting project … They told me, ‘you have got carte blanche. If you want to criticize us, do so.’”

While Parsons would not name the government representatives who approached him, he stressed that “several members of the government” – including a representative of the presidential administration -- were involved in the negotiations to bring him to Georgia.

Talks with GPB, he said, started in late June when he arrived in Tbilisi. Administration officials did not respond to repeated queries by EurasiaNet.org for comment.

Three GPB Board members -- Shorena Shaverdashvili, Nino Danelia, and Lika Chakhunashvili – are accusing fellow board members of pushing the decision through without allowing sufficient time for debate. The board’s vote on the outsourcing question was nine-to-three.

According to Shaverdashvili, outsourcing Caucasus One is a real concern, especially in a media environment in which over 80 percent of the population depends on news from three national channels. “As part of the board, one of the things we are responsible to ensure is the complete transparency and accountability to the public. … We really have to ensure the financial capability, and I really did not see that was happening,” she said.

GPB Board Chairman Levan Gakheladze countered that the decision to outsource – as well as to award the contract to K1 – was done in a completely transparent manner. “How could we have more transparency? All the documents are here [online],” he said.

GPB is no stranger to controversy. The station became the focus of opposition protests in 2008-2009, when Saakashvili critics accused the government of using the channel to improperly publicize and support government policies. [For background see EurasiaNet’s archive].

According to Mathias Huter, an analyst with Transparency International Georgia, if reports are accurate that the government pre-selected Parsons as part of the outsourcing arrangement, it could undermine GPB’s independence.

“If the government intervenes or makes such key decisions on the future of a channel belonging to the GPB, this discredits the GPB and infringes its political independence,” he said, adding that the station has made “significant progress in recent months” to strengthen its position as an independent public broadcaster.”