83 - in favor, 1 against - with this result of the vote, the Parliament adopted amendments to the Law on Broadcasting in the second reading, based on which a number of restrictions will be imposed on television and radio broadcasters.
At the March 19 session, a draft was discussed article by article, according to which the Communications Regulatory Commission will be able to warn television and radio stations and subsequently fine them if they:
. Do not adhere to the principles of "fairness" and "impartiality" when covering news.
. Do not maintain balance when covering an issue in the news programme;
. Record an interview or telephone conversation for the purpose of broadcasting without prior warning (except for cases where there is an assumption that recording openly would not be possible);
. Calls received during live broadcasts are not selected on the basis of fairness (the expression of one opinion will not be allowed);
. Make video recording in an educational institution, hospital, penitentiary institution, police station or ambulance, they do not have the prior consent of both the authorized person and the people being filmed;
. Only one guest is invited to the program on a topical issue and this is used to attack a person who is not participating in the program.
The draft law was corrected during the second reading and it was determined that the same rules will apply to information published on the social media pages and websites of broadcasters.
According to the Law on Broadcasting, if the Communications Regulatory Commission determines that a broadcaster has violated ethical standards, it will warn it and give it a deadline to eliminate the violations. If the broadcaster does not comply with the commission's instructions, it will be fined.
The authors and initiators of the bill are the deputies of the Georgian Dream and People's Power.
