News for GEL 5
As a result of monitoring the distribution of budgetary resources allocated for the release of information in media, a certain tendency of cooperation between budgetary organizations and news agencies has been revealed. Budgetary organizations – ministries, local councils (Sakrebulo) and legal entities of public law – pay money in exchange for disseminating desirable information in this or that information agency. In most cases, news agencies release information without any indications so that the readers cannot clarify whether they are reading editorial materials or contents provided by an interested party – budgetary organization.
Besides this practice, another form of cooperation has emerged between news agencies and budgetary organizations in 2015-2016 – an intermediary. The latter signs a contract with a budgetary organization and undertakes an obligation to release information in various news agencies. The contracts available in the State Procurement Agency’s database (with few exceptions) do not provide detailed information about where the intermediaries publish materials. One of such new companies is Clip Art affiliated with PIA news agency.
According to the State Procurement Agency, in 2016 Clip Art signed contracts with budgetary organizations worth GEL 24 755. It also cooperates with Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation, Krtsanisi Gamgeoba (local executive body), Medical Emergency Center, Saburtalo Gamgeoba and Georgian Energy Development Fund. The contracts do not specify in which particular news agencies the client’s materials should be published.
According to the GEL 4,9 thousand contract with Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation, unlimited amount of advertising information services should be provided at Pia.ge, Reportiori.ge, Kvira.ge, For.ge, Primetimenews.ge, and Daijesti.ge during a period of 11 months. The same amount also envisages preparation of 2-2 video footages per month.
As far as Georgian Energy Development Fund is concerned, GEL 5 thousand is envisaged for posting 10 news articles per month at Pia, PrimeTimeNews, Reportiori.ge, Kvira.ge, For.ge, Frontnews.ge, Accent.com.ge, Daijesti.ge, Epn.ge and Economic.ge during a period of 5 months, and 5 news articles per month – at Info 9. The same amount also envisages the release of articles in the following newspapers: Akhali Taoba (2 pages a month); Versia (2 pages a month); Prime Time (1 page); Banks and Finances (2 pages a month). As a whole, Georgian Energy Development Fund spends GEL 5000 to publish 525 news articles and 35 pages of information materials in newspapers and news agencies.
| News agency | Information per month | Number of months | Total |
| Pia | 10 | 5 | 50 |
| Info 9 | 5 | 5 | 25 |
| PrimeTimeNews | 10 | 5 | 50 |
| Reportiori.ge | 10 | 5 | 50 |
| Kvira.ge | 10 | 5 | 50 |
| Frontnews.ge | 10 | 5 | 50 |
| Accent.com.ge | 10 | 5 | 50 |
| Daijesti.ge | 10 | 5 | 50 |
| Epn.ge | 10 | 5 | 50 |
| Economics.ge | 10 | 5 | 50 |
| Total | 525 |
A new proposal by Clip Art appeared in Facebook several days ago. It offers potential clients, and in this particular case, small businesses, to disseminate 100 news articles at GEL 500 (GEL 5 per article), or 225 news articles at GEL 900 (GEL 4 per article). The agency also has the so called standard package within GEL 295 – 3000 price range. The price depends on which particular agencies offer their services.
| Number of news agencies | Number of press releases | Total number of press releases | Amount | Average price per press release |
| 3 | 10 | 30 | 295 | 9,83 |
| 3 | 15 | 45 | 485 | 10,78 |
| 3 | 15 | 45 | 1960 | 43,56 |
| 3 | 20 | 60 | 895 | 14,92 |
| 3 | 20 | 60 | 2480 | 41,33 |
| 3 | 24 | 72 | 2950 | 40,97 |
According to its website, Clip Art media agency has up to 40 partners, including TV channels – Imedi, Maestro and Kavkasia; online media – IPN, PIA, Info 9, Commersant.ge, Newspress, Newposts, Gurianews.ge, Accent.com.ge, Ipress.ge, etc.; print media – Kviris Palitra, Alia, Resonance, Akhali Taoba, Kronika +, etc.
