Georgian tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili handed over authority of Imedi television station for one year, in an apparent attempt to avert accusations about biased reporting of the station.

Martin Pompadour, Central and Eastern Europe director of the company News Corp Europe and Vladimir Voronov, Head of the Corporation News Media arrived in Georgia on October 31 to announce the news.

Pompadour reiterated the Fox News’ slogan “We report, you decide,” to stress that Imedi reports unbiased stories and the editorial policy of the channel would not change.

He added, however, that Imedi finds it difficult to produce balanced news reporting when the government is uncooperative. “When the government boycotts the channel, [it becomes] a monologue, not a dialogue,” Pompadour said.

According to News Corp, Patarkatsishvili remains the owner of the shares and an agreement forbids News Corp from transferring the management rights or selling shares until it expires. The Georgian tycoon can get back power of attorney or extend it to News Corp in one year.

The announcement about the change of hands comes only a day after Patarkatsishvili broke cover and said he would finance the opposition movement.  His channel Imedi, has been a target of government criticism for a long time already. The government asserts that the channel pursues a pro-opposition line. In response, the majority government refuses to participate in political talk shows and debates with opposition and civil society on Imedi. Moreover, they state that the company exaggerates certain political processes and even disseminates misinformation.

While the government boycotts the channel, Imedi has naturally become a forum for opposition parties and NGOs who have been feeding public discontent in recent months. Imedi Channel is often compared to Rustavi 2, which served as a mouthpiece for Mikhail Saakashvili and his then opposition group in the days leading up to the Rose Revolution.

Giga Bokeria, a right-hand man of President Saakashvili, described Patarkatsishvili’s move as a ploy designed to mask his continued control of the station. Bokeria claimed he would only believe the sincerity of the tycoon’s intentions when the channel toned down its criticism of the government.

News Corp is not afraid that it now may become the target of criticism.

Lewis Robertson, CEO of News Media Caucasus said, “There is no risk in doing this. This is something we do on a daily basis.  The only difference here is that we are acquiring complete control of the television station because Badri has given us power of attorney. That insures the integrity of the television station. In other words, somebody may say that we are saying something because Badri is in opposition now. However, he has no influence in the television station. So, this protects the station- this is a very smart decision on his part.”

Earlier in September, Patarkatsishvili, said that attempts were made previously by authorities to take over his media holding, including the radio station. “Imedi is not for sale,” Patarkatsishvili said, while meeting with staff of the station on October 10, “I will never give up two things: dignity and the possibility of free speech.”

“Attempts were made to apply the same scenario [to Imedi TV] which was previously applied to some other television stations,” he said in an obvious reference to speculation that top-level officials, in particular Giorgi Arveladze, the Economy Minister, took control over Rustavi 2.

Following the testimony of the ex-Minister of Defense, Irakli Okruashvili, criticism of Patarkatsishvili and his channel increased. Robertson responded on the pages of The Georgian Times. In a letter to us, Robertson wrote, “Perhaps most media outlets in Georgia will buy into this black PR campaign against Badri.  It would be very easy to do.  It is too easy just to reprint, rephrase or rewrite the government line not only against Badri, but also in regards to all things government related.  Imedi does not do this and will not do this type of ‘journalism.’”