Three Candidates will compete for the position of the Director-General of the General Public Broadcasting [the “GPB”]

Tako Khutsishvili

Today a meeting of the Georgian Public Broadcasting Board of Trustees was held. At the meeting the Board announced the names of the candidates who have moved  into the second round of the competition for the position of GPB Director-General. The 8 Board members had cast votes secretly to selectr the winners of the first round. They are Gia Chanturia, Zviad Koridze and Giorgi Kacharava.  To move into the second round the candidates must have obtained 5 or more votes of the Board members. Gia Chanturia received 6 votes, Zviad Koridze and Giorgi Kacharava – 7.

A total of 16 persons applied for the post of GPB Director-General. Giorgi Tsikhiseli’s application was not registered because his application documents were not in order. Marina Salukvadze received 3 votes, Giorgi Gumberidze – 3, Zurab Maghalashvili -2, Erosi Kitsmarishvili – 1, Teimuraz Koridze – 1. The rest of candidates received none.

Interviews with the candidates who have moved into the second round will start from noon tomorrow. The interviews will be filmed and then uploaded on the web site of the GPB. The videos will not be edited. A debate between the candidates will be held at 10 in the evening tomorrow.

“The criterion for the selection of the winner is  “vision”. The candidates  already have presented their vision for the development of the GPB but during the interview they will have to talk about details.  We would like to know how a candidate sees the future of broadcasting both from the creative and the technical point of view. The Director-General is not only the head of the TV programs, he is a manager. Therefore, he should know well how to deal with finances ; and he should have his own plan regarding the development of public radio because public broadcasting is not  the first channel only,” said Leval Gakheladze, the chairperson of the Board of Trustees.

“I congratulate Mr. Zviad and Mr. Giorgi on moving into the second round. We will have the chance to debate and share our visions. I am not the kind of person who participates in a competition and does not hope for  victory. I think I have enough experience to make GPB a channel that is useful for the society” Gia Chanturia  said to us.

Zviad Koridze, one of the candidates, hopes that the Board members will makean honest and independent decision: “I hope the board members will make decisions independently. The most important thing is that the decision they make will be useful for the development of the Georgian Public Broadcasting.”

The name of the new Director-General of the GPB will be disclosed at 1 o’clock p.m. on August 10 during the Board’s summary meeting.