Kathryn Butterworth Information Policy in the Republic of Georgia and the Russian Federation in the post-Soviet Context Poster at BOBCATSSS 2017

1. Kathryn Butterworth,
Department of Information Sciences, Graduate College of Information Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Information Policy in the Republic of Georgia and the Russian Federation in the post-Soviet Context
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Aim
The main objective of this presentation is to provide a
comparative overview of the situations in both the
Republic of Georgia and the Russian Federation
regarding information policy and their similarities and
differences, respectively. To this end, the scope of the
presentation looks at the primary means of information
consumption in both countries.
Timeline
The timeline for this comparison looks at information
policy as it has developed in both countries since 2000,
the year that Vladimir Putin acceded to the Russian
presidency. Particular attention to this period will better
help us assess the trajectory and status of modern
information policy in both countries.
Scope
As mentioned above, the scope of the presentation will
include an examination of television stations with the
largest viewership of the top five stations in the Republic
of Georgia. In Russia, the top five publishing houses are
under consideration due to consumption and breadth of
influence.
“…information policy is the collection of
laws and policies dealing with
information from its creation, through its
collection, organization, dissemination,
and re-packaging, to its destruction (Doty,
Philip and Wyllys R.E., 2004).”
This presentation explores information policy in the
Republic of Georgia, particularly examining the
government’s program regarding access to information by
examining its major television stations. Television is the
medium of mass information under consideration due its
prominence in Georgian society.
Additionally, it explores and compares how the formation
and implementation of information policy in the Republic
of Georgia compares to information policy and access in
the Russian Federation via codified laws.
These two countries are under consideration due to a
shared history of strict and rigid censorship during the
Soviet period, and also because of the complex political
situation between the two countries and its effect on
information policy.
Method and Findings
• An examination of government policy as well as
content analysis of major information institutions, in
this case major publishing houses (Russia) and news
outlets (Republic of Georgia) was conducted.
• Additionally, the study questioned how these practices
conform to government information policies in
actuality.
• The highest volume of information is consumed via
television in the Republic of Georgia. The top five
television outlets are examined.
• Five Main Television conduits: Imedi, Rustavi 2, Mze,
Georgian Public Broadcaster, Channel 1 (all Tbilisi
based).
• The Russian Federation relies mostly on print to
consume information and thus this presentation
examines publishing houses and the extent to which
government policy dictates published information.
• Top Five publishing houses: Prosveshchenie
(Enlightment), AST, Drofa, Eskmo-Press, and Olma-
press.
The independence of Rustavi 2 and Imedi is murky at
best, with the latter having indirect connections to
Saakashvili, the former president of Georgia. Imedi and
Rustavi 2, as well as Mze, were supportive of the
Saakashvili regime and are currently supportive of the
Georgian Dream controlled government.
Georgian Public Broadcaster “is a publicly-funded entity,
and required by law to “provide accurate and up-to-date
information that is free from political and commercial bias”
and “to address the needs and interests of the larger
Georgian society through diversity of programs and
viewpoints” (Article15, Law on Broadcasting).”
(Mikashavidze, Maia, 2016).
Implementation of information policy is influenced by
changing political developments.
2000s - in the parliamentary and presidential elections,
Saakashvili and his United National Movement party were
accused of controlling and intimidating television
programs and journalists (Areshidze, Irakly, 250-260).
Russia
Federal Service for Supervision of
Communications, Information Technology, and Mass
Media 2009 – Government body with an obfuscated
mandate, allowing it to engage in ex post facto
censorship.
Textbook Reforms 2013 introduced historically and
culturally appropriate standards that abide by government
regulations.
Ex 1. Today the publishing portfolio “DROFA”-“VENTANA-
GRAF”-it is 40% federal list of textbooks, recommended
by the Ministry of education and science of the Russian
Federation.”
Сегодня издательский портфель «ДРОФА» –
«ВЕНТАНА-ГРАФ» — это 40% федерального перечня
учебников, рекомендованных Министерством
образования и науки РФ. (Drofa. Glavnaia.
Ob”edinennaia Izdatel’skaia Gruppa, 2016)
2000s - media freedom in the Russian Federation has
steadily declined, either through means of coercion,
intimidation of journalists or by forcing genuinely
independent news channels and print newspapers out of
business.
Russia’s information policy is categorically heavily
restricted and since 2000, the Russian government has
become gradually authoritarian by such laws, as is
reflected in its information policy.
Freedom house Score: Freedom of the Press
48/100 Georgia 0 - Best
83/100 Russia 100 - Worst
Selected References
Avalishvili, Levan. European Energy Security and Related
Issues: In-Depth Analytical
Coverage. Information Security -New Challenges and
Georgia. (July, 2015). Retrieved from
http://eurodialogue.eu/Information%20security%20%E2%
80%93%20New%20Challenges%20and%20Georgiab.
Boguta, Grzegorz. (2005, January). A Strategy for
Libraries in Georgia. Retrieved from
https://www.coe.int/t/dg4/cultureheritage/culture/Complete
d/STAGE/DGIV_CULT_STAGE(2005)3_en.PDF.
Drofa (2016) Glavnaia. Ob”edinennaia Izdatel’skaia
Gruppa. ‘O kompanii. http://drofa-ventana.ru/about/.
Fondi gia sazogadoeba sakartvelo. (2013) Informatsiis
tavisuplebis ganvitarebis inst’it’ut’i: sajaro informatsiis
khelmisats’vdomoba sakartveloshi sainformatsio
biulet’eni No. 5. 2012-2013. Retrieved from
https://www.osgf.ge/files/2013/publikaciebi%202013/Geo-
2013_angarishi_opendata.pdf.
Freedom House. Russia (2016). Freedom of the Press.
https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-
press/2016/Russia.
Google Sites. (December, 2011). Republic of Georgia:
Information and Communications Technologies (ICT).
Retrieved from
https://sites.google.com/site/countryofgeorgia/telecommu
nications-infrastructure-1.
Google Sites. (December, 2011). Republic of Georgia:
Information and Communications Technologies (ICT).
Retrieved from
https://sites.google.com/site/countryofgeorgia/political-
and-legal-environment.
IFLA. (January, 2016) Implementing the Sustainable
Development Goals – A Russian Example.
http://www.ifla.org/node/10150.
IFLA. (Avgust, 2012) Mezhdunarodnaia Federatsiia
Bibliotechnykh Assotsiatsiĭ i Uchrezhdeniĭ
(IFLA) Kodeks Ėtiki IFLA dlia Bibliotekareĭ i Drugikh
Informatsionnykh Rabotnikov: Kratkaia Versiia. Retrieved
fromhttp://www.ifla.org/files/assets/faife/codesofethics/rus
siancodeofethicsshort.pdf
Mikashavidze, Maia. European Journalism Center. ‘Media
Landscapes: Georgia 2.3 Television.’
http://ejc.net/media_landscapes/georgia.
Somondo: Connecting visitors and non-profit
organizations. (2016) Institute for Development of
freedom of Information. Retrieved from
https://www.somondo.org/organizations/667/institute-for-
development-of-freedom-of-information-idfi.
Wenceslas, CC BY-SA 3.0. Confederatie van Rusland en Wit
Rusland.jpg. Retrieved from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1850604
Babych, Vasyl`. Wikipedia Commons. Atlas Of
Georgia. Retrieved from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Atlas_of_Georgia.
Georgia
Freedom of Information in the Georgia (ინფორმაციის
თავისუფლება საქართველოში)
“It explains that every person has the opportunity to access
and share information.”
იგი განმარტავს, რომ ყოველ ადამიანს აქვს შესაძლებლობა
მიიღოს
და გაავრცელოს ინფორმაცია. (Informatsiis tavisuplebis
ganvitarebis inst’it’ut’i. No.5 2012-2013, 4).