Coercion on TV!

Natia Danelishvili, Information Center of Kakheti

Consumers blame the Telavi Cable TV-Channel “Gorda” in the violation of their rights. Telavi district residents informed the Information Center of Kakheti about it after the “Gorda” ceased broadcasting the programs of the TV-Companies “Maestro” and “Kavkasia.” Part of consumers stopped paying the fees. In reply to it, “Gorda” announced the names and addresses of the debtor consumers on TV; the Cable TV-Station released the information in the subtitles.

“They were announcing the name of my family member as a debtor during several months. They advertised his name and address in the subtitles. After I started to inquire whether the Cable TV-Channel had right to announce the consumer’s name, and warned them that I was applying to the NGOs and journalists for help, they stopped similar announcements. A young girl Natia Nanashvili was reading the announcement on TV,” said Telavi resident Marina Metreveli.

The Cable TV-Channel released information about the people who do not have contracts with the Gorda. However, according to the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC) “A cable operator is entitled to sign service contracts with consumers and provide them with necessary information.”

“It started several months ago. Although they have not signed contracts with us, they advertise our names. We watched “Maestro” and “Kavkasia” without contracts. After they ceased broadcasting of these companies, I have not paid the fee and they started to advertise our names on TV. So, I had to pay the fee. I did not want people to know that we do not pay debt,” said Nino Gvelukashvili.

Head of the Telavi office of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association Marekh Mgaloblishvili said the TV-Company breached the right of the consumers when their names were publicly announced.

“Information about financial and health conditions and tax-payment history of a person is personal information and nobody shall make it public. The remoteness has not expired on this case and if consumers hold corresponding documents, they can sue the Company in the GNCC. If their suit is not satisfied, they can appeal to the Court too,” said Mgaloblishvili.
 
ICK got in touch with Natia Nanashvili, journalist for TV-Company “Gorda” who said: “I am reading what I am ordered to. So, you should rather call the office-manager.”

The administration of the “Gorda” did not comment on the issue.

Telavi Cable TV-Company ceased broadcasting of the Maestro and Kavakasia on September 29, 2010 for technical problems. The TV-Company director Givi Mamukelashvili said they would resume broadcasting as soon the problems are eradicated, but it did not happen. In November of 2010, Mamukelashvili told the ICK that TV-Company is his property and he can transmit whatever he wants. After broadcasting of the Maestro and Kavkasia was ceased, more than 100 subscribers stopped contracts with the Gorda in protest.

Administration of the Gorda refused to transmit programs of the Telavi independent TV-Company “Tanamgzavri” too.

In addition, on November 25-26, 2010 the Cable TV-Channel ceased broadcasting of the Channel II of the Public Broadcasting which transmitted protest demonstrations of the opposition parties in front of the parliament building in Tbilisi. The Gorda ceased broadcasting of the Channel II on November 18 too, when initiative group of the People’s Assembly met supporters in Telavi. The subscribers said the transmission of the Channel II is still ceased periodically.

GNCC officials state the Cable TV-Companies often breach the consumers’ rights so they will have to introduce amendments to the Regulation of Consumer’s Rights. However, the Commission does not pay particular attention to the ceased broadcasting of the Maestro and Kavkasia.

“Very often, the monitoring of the GNCC reveals unlawful retransmission of broadcasting channels. Since cable operators do not sign contracts on transmitting the channels [with the channel administrations], the consumer, who signs contract with the operators for the desirable packet of TV-Channels, gets victimized. Later, the cable operator unlawfully stops transmission of those channels.”

The GNCC started public administrative process for the improvement of protection of consumers’ rights and soon the amendments will be introduced to the Regulation for Protection of the Consumers’ Rights. According to the amendments, every cable operator will be entitled to open an official website which will provide information about offered packets, TV-Channels and price according to these packets. Cable operators will have to inform the consumers about the planned changes in the packet 10 working days earlier,” the GNCC officials stated.

Telavi Cable TV-Channel has about 5 000 consumers in the district. According to the agreement, the installation of the Cable TV-Channel costs 50 GEL and the monthly fee is 10 GEL. According to the contract, the cable TV airs 30 TV-Channels. After they ceased broadcasting of the Maestro and Kavkasia, Gorda added entertainment channels and now more than 30 channels are in the packet.