Independent television station Mtavari, allied with the opposition, faces imminent shutdown in Georgia.
The Curtains Fall on Mtavari TV
In a blow to freedom of media in Georgia, opposition-leaning broadcaster Mtavari TV will shut its doors on May 1, 2025. Camped in the thick of political turbulence as Georgia leans closer to Moscow and cracks down on critics, the TV channel has endured months of squeeze and reported harassment.
A wave of disheartened journalists, including Irakli Bakhtadze, reported the closure via social media. Bakhtadze, who found himself on the receiving end of an eviction notice, asserted that he'd always believed critical media to be the voice of the people—a platform for the unheard. His colleague, Tatia Tsotsonava, shared her melancholic reminiscences of building Mtavari from scratch, fighting tooth and nail for it, only to have it slip away.
Vano Chkhikvadze, head of the European integration program at the human rights defense NGO Civil Society Foundation, evaluates the channel's role as crucial in balancing the pro-Russian propaganda that flooded the airwaves.
Behind the Scenes: A Timeline of Events- With hope still flickering, Mtavari stopped live broadcasts in February 2025, airing reruns and soap operas instead[3].- The definite shutdown was confirmed on April 28, 2025, after efforts to revive the channel fell flat[2][4].- In the face of the closure, several anchors such as Natia Gogsadze and Eka Kvesitadze launched independent YouTube channels (On Time, International Accents)[2][3].
Beneath the Veil: The Causes and Context- Mtavari's management and employees pin the blame on the ruling Georgian Dream party for systemic obstruction, though no direct closure order has been issued[5]. The station faced region-wide and satellite broadcast blackouts as early as January 2025[3].- As Georgia treads a contentious tightrope between Brussels and Moscow in the midst of its EU membership bid, some analysts argue that the closure is indicative of a shrinking media landscape[1][5]. Opposition heavyweights like Nika Gvaramia (Mtavari co-founder) echo this sentiment, viewing the shutdown as a politically charged move.
The Grand Implication: Echoes of the PastThe loss of Mtavari silences a significant critical voice ahead of Georgia’s 2024 parliamentary elections, paving the way for pro-government narratives to reign supreme. Journalists express concerns over potential media consolidation under Georgian Dream, a government confronted with charges of democratic regression[1][3][5].
- The closure of Mtavari TV, a counterbalancing force against pro-Russian propaganda, is a sad development in the realm of war-and-conflicts and general news in Georgia.
- Despite efforts to revive Mtavari TV, it has sadly moved towards closure, leaving a gap in the channel's role of rapprochement between opposition leanings and the general public.
- The shutdown of Mtavari TV, a key player in the politics of Georgia, is seen by some analysts as an indicator of a shrinking media landscape, particularly during the nation's EU membership bid.
- The implications of the loss of Mtavari TV extend beyond its final broadcast, as the absence of a critical voice could potentially result in a monopoly of pro-government narratives during the upcoming 2024 parliamentary elections.
