The Role of Covering Ethnic, Conflict and Integration Processes in Regional Media – Georgia’s Experience in the 1990-s

Abstract

Today, Mass Media are the most important mediators between social, cultural and political spheres, and their changing nature as a result of technological development creates new perspectives and challenges. New forms of Media have long been creating a new reality and combining various approaches and strategies that serve as the main tools for media development and exchange of cultural context. The architecture of modern society is a process of studying the interaction of historical contexts and contemporary challenges and affects such important aspects as: cultural practices, social norms, political order and economic inequality. Identity is often a key characteristic of individual and group belonging, which does not accurately reflect the impact on social interactions and collective identities. The presented review aims to highlight the importance of media ethics in the regional media of Georgia in the 1990s and to place special emphasis on it in terms of discussing social responsibility, ethnic and integration issues. Ethical dilemmas were actively covered in the regional media during this period, when the new political and social reality directed the country towards transformation. In the 1990s, regional media in Georgia played an important role not only in disseminating information but also in correcting stereotypes about ethnic groups and achieving public consensus. Issues of Media Ethics became especially relevant at the time when the coverage of ethnic confrontations and conflicts became a matter of media responsibility. An  Article discusses how regional media acted ethically as builders of social connections and what impact they had in terms of coverage of ethnic, conflict and integration processes.