Public Discussion: Analysing Polarization in Georgia and V4 States: Domestic and External Factors

On September 29, 2023, our President and Founder – Mr. Jan Cingel,  contributed to the Online Public Discussion about Analyzing Polarization in Georgia and V4 states.

The virtual discussion was held under the project “Supporting Decrease of Media Polarization in Georgia and V4 States.” supported by the International Visegrad Fund and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea.

The project aims to mitigate deepening media polarization in support of voters’ informed decision-making in Georgia and V4 states.

The media landscape is highly polarized in Georgia and V4 states. There is a lack of media agencies without political affiliations in these states. Media is responsible for polarizing societies since they do not allow the public to make an informed choice due to the one-sided broadcasting tradition that they follow. This has a negative impact on democracy and makes electoral decision-making difficult. Moreover, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the developments have dominated the media agenda, and the political situation has become more sensitive for society. If previously the polarization was mainly related to domestic political developments, foreign policy also became a matter of polarization after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, especially in Georgia and some of the V4 states.

Therefore, the aim of the public discussion is to respond to the following questions:

  • What are the key domestic and external stimulators of media polarization in Georgia and V4 states?
    How does media polarization in Georgia and V4 states influence the political processes?
  • What could be the role of media in reducing societal and political polarization based on best international practices?
  • The virtual discussion is held under the project “Supporting Decrease of Media Polarization in Georgia and V4 States.” The action aims to mitigate deepening media polarization in support of voters’ informed decision-making in Georgia and V4 states.

The speakers of the discussion:

Moderator of the discussion: Rayhan Demytrie, Correspondent, BBC News