Election Media Monitoring
September 4 - September 22, 2012
Civic Development Institute implemented the monitoring of 12 information portals during the period of September 4-22. As a result of the monitoring the following key findings were identified:
During the monitoring process, the websites are mainly divided into three categories: (1) those observing journalistic standards; (2) tendencies of editors are noticed on the background of balance and neutrality; (3) those having an aggressive editorial policy.
September 18-22 was the most important period for the study. Distribution of the footage of violence in prison has had its impact on the monitoring results. Indicators for covering two election subjects – government and president – have increased significantly.
Based on key findings the websites were grouped as follows according to general indicators:
· Tabula.ge, internet.ge and onlinenews.ge work using more or less the same style, the difference is in the form of articles: internet.ge and onlinenews.ge only publish the news articles, while tabula.ge publishes information and analytical articles. These web sites show biased attitude of editors on the background of neutrality and balance.
· Materials of dfwatch.net, palitratv.ge, civil.ge, news.ge, liberali.ge and netgazeti.ge observe journalistic ethics, balance and plurality of sources. Events are covered from different angles.
· For.ge, presa.ge and droni.ge display gross violations of journalistic standards: they have selective approach towards facts, journalists use hate speech, aggressive visual materials and unethical phrases in headlines. Political views of the editors are reflected in coverage of subjects, selection of facts and tones of journalists.
Methodology and Analysis
This report covers the period of September 4 to September 22. Election monitoring of information websites is comprised of qualitative and quantitative components. Quantitative components concern time allocated to election subjects and tone of coverage. Components of qualitative monitoring look at balance, accuracy, facts-based reporting, and evaluation of headlines and visual materials of the articles.
Qualitative data is provided in diagrams attached to this report. Information about the subjects on diagram is expressed in percentages. 100 percent is a volume of text allocated to all subjects by all sites during pre-election period, as described in the title of each diagram. If the diagram does not indicate political party that was subject of observation, it means that no coverage was allocated to this party during this period of time. Parties that were given at least a certain space are reflected on the diagram (sometimes by 0 percent). “Other” indicates subjects that received 1% or less on these websites.
The tone of coverage is displayed when a subject is talked about by others or when the subject talks about himself/herself. Diagrams show three categories of the tone: positive (green), neutral (yellow) and negative (red). The tone is evaluated while counting volume of the text allocated for the subjects. Attention is paid to the text of the journalist as well as respondent and general context of the respondent.
Allocation of time in terms of tones is evaluated as follows: evaluation of the tone of the volume of text allocated for the given subject on the website and the tone of how journalist talks about the subject. Coverage tone is displayed in percentages. During the first case 100 percent is a volume of the text allocated to a particular subject on a particular website in total as well as the volume of text allocated by the journalist to that particular subject.
Qualitative monitoring also looks at balance, or how the articles represent different viewpoints. It also looks at accuracy, where monitor observes whether the materials used in the article and conclusions of the journalist are in line, if there are mistakes in names, numbers, and respondents.
Netgazeti.ge
Netgazeti.ge observes journalistic ethics, balance and ensures plurality of sources. The web site covers the events from different angles. Editorial team tries to answer questions arising from the public. Netgazeti.ge covers events of this period timely and exhaustively. Topics are diverse, activities of governmental and opposition parties are presented almost equally along with statements of international organizations, diplomatic representations, Central Election Commission (CEC), and public opinion. Netgazeti.ge often reviews election program of political parties. The web site also provides critical articles prepared within the framework of ethical norms.
During the monitoring period quantitative monitoring charts showed that in terms of the volume of text the highest indicator is for the government (33%). It is followed by the Coalition Georgian Dream (28%).
As for the volume allocated to the subjects according to neutral tone, the indicators are distributed as follows: Coalition Georgian Dream – 93%, United National Movement – 70%, and President – 83%. Percentage of negative tone is as follows: Opposition – 39%, Government – 35%, United National Movement – 30%.
The web site provides analytical as well as news articles that are complemented by comments of the respondents and journalists. Discussion in comments of the journalists is argumented and is usually supported with facts. The article is often followed by the conclusion of the journalist, based on the facts and discussions in the article. Most of the materials provide information on different topics, are long enough and of analytical type. For example: “Agriculture – real priority or election PR strategy?” (September 8). Here we could also name short news articles: “Patriarchy: Only the patriarch met with Akhalaia and nobody knows for what” (September 20). Large materials are provided during discussion of the programs of political parties: “What is the share of culture on election campaigns of the parties” (September 12).
Headlines on the web site are mainly of neutral content, descriptive and adequately displays the main essence of the article. For example: “Eka Zguladze will lead Ministry of Internal Affairs” (September 20). Very rarely there are headlines: “Saakashvili: Do they think Rustavi is too small so that they want to get you agree to second hand?” (September 9). The web site often provides headlines using quotes of the respondents, for example: “Tugushi: Nobody is on hunger strike in Gldani prison” (September 22); “Saakashvili: You don’t live Georgia, if you bring Abashidze’s people back” (September 8).
For visual aids netgazeti.ge uses photo and video materials, some graphs and logos. Visual materials usually correspond with the essence of the article. There are number of photo reports on the web site. Photos usually reflect current themes and are of high quality. There are hardly any negative illustrations. There are several materials on the website that are prepared within the project funded by the Eurasia Partnership Foundation, “Covering Regional Issues”, for example: “Why part of people damaged by the hail remained without compensation” (September 9). There are number of video materials on protests, situation in the prisons and violation of rights of the prisoners.
Netgazeti.ge usually provides balanced coverage of pre-election campaigns of the political parties and often presents political statements. “Saakashvili: no matter who they throw in, every giant will be defeated” (September 8) and “According to Ivanishvili, it will be late on the day after elections” (September 9).
The editorial team does not leave out other issues important to the public, which indirectly features our subjects. For example, “Sign: “taken away” now displayed on the facade of the company of Kibar Khalvashi” (September 17); “Lazika or Anaklia – where the new town is to be built?” (September 14); “How pre-election atmosphere is funded by international observer organizations” (September 13).
Materials published on the website are based on facts; content always corresponds with the title and visual materials. In terms of theme, emphasis is never moved to other issues, and main topic is always clear.
Journalists of netgazeti.ge rely on facts that are verified with different sources and are often supported with photo or video materials. “Advertisement posters of National Movement is removed from minibuses” (September 19); “Details of Ivanishvili’s Meeting with John McCain” (September 6); “What happens at Gldani Prison [live]” (September 19). No cases of manipulation with facts from the side of the journalist have been identified.
Journalists are mostly neutral while covering facts. However, there are cases when based on arguments they provide critical evaluation of various events. Articles have no hate langue and therefore, no violation of standards in this regard.
Netgazeti.ge has adequately reported the events of September 18-22; violations in penitential system were covered regularly. During this period of time number of articles has significantly increased on the website.
Droni.ge
Droni.ge mainly provides analytical articles and directly states opinions of journalists. There are news articles as well. Number of materials on the site is low, since the website does not fully cover the events. During the monitoring process rough violation of journalistic standards was observed several times: selective attitude towards facts, use of hate speech, ironic style of illustrations used as visual aids, aggressive headlines and direct expression of bias. Editorial views are reflected in the coverage of subjects, selection of facts and tone of journalists.
Quantitative study showed the following distribution of volume indicators for each of the subjects: Coalition Georgian Dream – 35%, President – 28%, and Government – 25%. According to the research highest indicator of the neutral tone is for the government – 90%. Rest of the indicators of the neutral tone is distributed as follows: President – 69%, United National Movement – 45%, and Coalition Georgian Dream – 13%. 87% of the negative tone was displayed towards Coalition Georgian Dream, while the positive tone indicators are for United National Movement (53%) and President (27%).
There are materials of different size on the website. It provides both brief news articles as well as large analytical pieces. It should be noted that articles are not supported by facts or respondent arguments and are often based on anonymous sources, for example, “Ivanishvili talked about Patriarch in a disrespectful manner” (September 9). In this article the journalist mentions a quote from an unknown source: “When yesterday, during the sermon, his Holiness asked students to stop protest, Bidzina Ivanishvili got upset about it, he was irritated with such statement of the Patriarch. He called Ilia II a satellite and said that even church needs to be taken care of.”
Headlines are mainly unethical. Journalists often use quotes of the respondents. There are frequent incorrect and humiliating titles that are mainly targeted towards Bidzina Ivanishvili, for example, “Play Ossuri, Bidzina is here!” (September 14), “Leader of Labor Party visiting Samegrelo called Bidzina Ivanishvili “unique penguin from Chorvila,” and Georgian Dream as a “Pack of Rich” (September 13).
As visual aids droni.ge often uses videos, photo collages and caricatures. An example of photo collage is: “United National Movement’s pre-election convention in different regions of Georgia” (September 9).
Droni.ge provides unbalanced information in terms of sources and often deliberately misleads readers. It does not verify facts used during discussion. Journalistic bias is noticed while selecting facts and biased, sharply expressed subjective position is always displayed during coverage. In order to support own opinions journalists use facts and accents in a biased way, for example, “Georgian reality and Russian, dream-like plan B” (September 9); “Bidzina’s plan and Sergo’s way” (September 7).
Journalists of droni.ge are distinguished with their unethical statement and aggressive phrases, for example, “Bidzina has short legs” (September 8); “Days left from non-dreamy knockdown to knockout…” (September 12).
It should be noted that while covering violence against prison inmates, published on September 18, droni.ge mainly emphasizes the administrative actions and staff changes by the government. There was little information on protests and conditions of prisoners.
Internet.ge
There are on average 20 materials posted on the website. Mostly, the site offers brief news stories, press releases of official structures and small articles. There are hardly any analytical articles. Compared to previous monitoring period the website offers less thematic diversity in terms of the election subjects. The website mainly presents activities of two election subjects, and governmental staffing changes after September 18-22.
Journalists mainly use neutral tone, although there are several exceptions when journalists display use negative tone towards the leader of Coalition Georgian Dream. Also, negative tone was displayed towards the President and the government.
Materials mostly deliver facts and there are no journalistic evaluations in any of the materials.
Quantitative indicators show 2 election subjects: National Movement (18%) and Coalition Georgian Dream (30%). Other subjects are presented with very low percentage rate.
Tone of political subjects is clearly distinct from each other. All three tones were displayed with three subjects only: National Movement (negative 4%, neutral 93%, positive 3%), Georgian Dream (negative 22%, neutral 77%, positive 2%), and government (negative 27%, neutral 72%, positive 1%).
The website frequently covers activities of the government – visits of the Prime Minister, addresses of the President, and rarely, activities of the Coalition.
In terms of the balance, the website provides contrasting opinions, but in different articles and not in the same material. Different opinion is often provided the day after the initial opinion is published.
Opinions expressed are always followed by authors. However, there were several cases when response of the Georgian Dream was not included. There are frequent accusations towards Georgian Dream, often left unanswered. Therefore, there is an impression that the editors of the site deliberately spread biased and unbalanced information.
Coverage of events of September 18-22 was only done through press releases provided by official agencies. No evaluations of opposition parties were provided. Only on September 20 the site published the address of Bidzina Ivanishvili, calling for the public to remain calm. During following days the site continued intensively publishing addresses of the President and statements of official agencies.
Liberali.ge
Articles of liberali.ge were monitored in their news and article block. Mainly these two blocks provide information on the election subjects selected for monitoring.
News block mainly provides brief news materials with similar themes. There were several leading topics identified during this period: election-related violation – use of administrative resources by the government and inappropriate spending of money. At the same time, during the last days, September 18-22 the situation in the prisons is a priority.