RFE/RL’s Georgian Service: Radio Tavisupleba
Radio Tavisupleba provides politically and financially independent journalism in a polarized media landscape.
About
- Operating out of Tbilisi, Radio Tavisupleba reports in Georgian and Russian languages.
- Broadcasts on radio and TV and expanding online audience to reach youth.
- Exclusive stories and investigative reporting are regularly cited by national media and have led to government action.
- Counters Russian and local disinformation with unbiased, impartial approach to public interest stories.
- Russian-language Ekho Kavkaza unit provides uncensored alternative to Kremlin-controlled information in occupied Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
- Focuses on public corruption: Investigation exposing police abuse of power led judge to free a local businessman who had been framed.
- After a Tavisupleba documentary about a housing settlement outside Tbilisi, the Prime Minister made a statement.
Awards
- Several recent distinctions exemplify the Service’s commitment to defending democracy, human rights, and diversity. In 2022, Tavisupleba’s journalists were awarded Georgia’s major journalistic prizes.
- Lela Kunchulia and Shio Khidasheli’s video “I have no hatred in me” honored with prestigious EU Prize for Journalism award for peace journalism.
- Best multimedia article winner, Charter Prize 2022.
- #Media4Equality 2022 prizes for Best National Multimedia Product and Contribution to Ethical Journalism.
Impact
January – December 2022
- Website and Apps: (In Georgian) 24.7 million visits; 35 million page views; (In Russian) 2.7 million visits; 4.6 million page views
- Facebook: (In Georgian) 123.3 million video views; 36.5 million engaged users; (In Russian) 3.7 million video views; 1.4 million engaged users
- YouTube: (In Georgian) 3.2 million views; 40,100 subscribers; (In Russian) 447,000 video views; 7,500 subscribers
- Instagram: (In Georgian) 5.6 million video views; 58,000 followers; (In Russian) 111,000 video views; 3,000 followers
Updated: April 2023
Media Climate
- Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index ranks Georgia 90th out of 180 countries.