{"id":427340,"date":"2010-03-14T19:41:30","date_gmt":"2010-03-14T23:41:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/globalvoicesonline.org\/?p=128255"},"modified":"2010-03-14T19:41:30","modified_gmt":"2010-03-14T23:41:30","slug":"georgia-mock-news-report-causes-panic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/427340","title":{"rendered":"Georgia: Mock news report causes panic"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Crossed<\/p>\n

Crossed out logo of the channel<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

On Saturday 13 March, the Imedi national television broadcaster aired a mock news report stating that Russian tanks had invaded Georgia and that the president was dead. Aired at 8pm,\u00a0the usual time slot\u00a0for daily news, the nation's most trusted broadcaster (according to the last year's study by Caucasus Research Resource Center<\/em>) offered its audience the worst possible case scenario of what might happen a week after municipal elections scheduled for the end of May in the country's capital, Tbilisi. <\/p>\n

According to that scenario, the opposition might seize power and turn the country into a confederation and ally of Russia. Moreover, some Georgian troops decide not to defend President Saakashvili and instead back the opposition's temporary government. The visuals accompanying the mock report, as well as the anchor of the program, were exactly the same as of that for a regular newscast, aside from a brief introduction informing viewers that what followed was a simulation of possible events.<\/p>\n

\"2E15F01F-7356-482A-86D1-92145A2C61F1_w527_s\"<\/p>\n

Screen shot of mock report on Imedi television – RFE\/RL<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

However, using footage from the August 2008 war with Russia<\/a> presented in the format of a regular news program caused momentary panic in the country. “Requiem\u00a0of the Georgian Dream,” as the producers called it, detailed an\u00a0apocalyptic end to democracy in Georgia after opposition leaders Nino Burjanadze and Zurab Noghaideli, who recently befriended Russia's President, take power.<\/p>\n

During the program, which lasted half an hour, some of those living in villages close to the conflict zone reportedly fled to nearby forests to escape what they believed were advancing Russian troops, while shocked people called for emergency help, lined up at grocery stores and ATMs, and cars queued at petrol stations, concerned that recent history was repeating itself. <\/p>\n

The private company, which also broadcast the same program on radio, \u00a0violated the Code of Conduct for Broadcasters<\/a> which says that reenactments should be avoided or at least clearly identified as such, while outraged citizens staged a protest in front of the TV station. <\/p>\n

One local blogger, Dodka<\/em><\/a> was among the 300-500 people and posted updates on Facebook<\/em>. Accused by some of being a provocateur because she said she was there to protest against Imedi's actions rather than support the opposition, she also posted some photographs. <\/p>\n

\"protest<\/p>\n

Protest in front of Imedi TV by Dodka<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The opposition, of course, didn't miss a chance and was represented by many faces. But the main figure was Burjanadze. A friend of mine, whom I met there, was trying to avoid the crowd by standing a bit further away not wanting to stand by “that woman.”<\/div>\n

Other people also went\u00a0online to vent their anger.\u00a0One of the first reactions on blogs and Facebook<\/em> came from Rocko<\/em> in the form of an excerpt<\/a> from the above mention broadcaster's code.<\/p>\n

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