Under the cooperation and funding of the First Channel and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), a permanent regional academy for journalists will operate in Georgia, – Vasil Maghlaperidze, General Director of First Channel has made this statement at the conference-seminar “Digital Transformation” today. The event is hosted by the First Channel.

Training at the academy will be conducted for Georgian journalists as well as for journalists from neighboring countries, Azerbaijan and Armenia.

As Vasil Maghlaperidze noted, training at the academy will be free of charge.

“A permanent Academy of Journalism will be established in Georgia. This is very important, because today both technology, as well as training, is expensive. The academy will train about 50 students, out of which 15 will be from Georgia. We have done everything for establishing the academy in Georgia. This will benefit not only the First Channel but entirely the country”, – the General Director of First Channel stated.

The academy will start functioning from May.

“The training for journalists from Georgia will be funded by the Public Broadcaster. The program is designed for acting journalists. We can call it professional skills development, but it’s something more. Many international experts will deliver lectures at the academy” – Maghlaperidze added.

The First Channel hosts a regional conference-seminar “Digital Transformation” of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in Tbilisi. Representatives of Public Broadcasters from 10 countries are participating in the seminar.

The First Channel, EBU, OSCE, and EU representation in Georgia held a regional seminar in the last years as well. Institutionalized and legal challenges in the process of transformation of public broadcasters, and setting of cooperation means were the main topics for discussions.

Representatives of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) visited First Channel on February 12 and met with First Channel’s management.