SOVA is an independent publication that was founded in Tbilisi in 2016 by a group of professional journalists. We operate in Russian, making high-quality information about Georgia and the region as a whole accessible to tens of thousands of readers around the world.

SOVA is an online magazine that covers politics, economics, and other essential aspects of modern life. We discuss and debate key topics and turn them into well-written articles. We work with sources of information, develop concepts, shoot videos and photos, conduct research on social media, and analyze statistics. We believe that in the era of social media and post-truth, high-quality journalism is in demand by readers.

We, the SOVA team, create high-quality journalism because it is a part of our lives.

We operate independently of any interests and seek inspiration from the highest ethical standards. All SOVA employees are guided by the principles of honest and high-quality journalism. Our set of rules is presented to your attention.

Impartiality

Proper impartiality is the basis of SOVA work. All SOVA projects and services are open, honest, reflect respect for the truth. There should not be a single prominent aspect of thought that would not find its reflection or would not be sufficiently represented on SOVA.

Accuracy

We must be accurate. To achieve this goal, we must verify, double-check, and seek advice. We must, whenever possible, obtain information firsthand by being on the ground, or, if that is not possible, by communicating with eyewitnesses. However, accuracy often goes beyond simply presenting facts correctly. To obtain a true picture of the events being covered or described, we must weigh all relevant information.

Honesty

SOVA’s materials should be based on honesty, openness, and directness. We must treat the people we deal with with honesty and respect. They have the right to know what the material is about, what role they will play in it, and whether it will be edited.

Presenting a complete and honest view of people and traditions…

SOVA’s materials and services should reflect and build upon diversity to convey life as it is. By implementing this principle, we discover new talents, perspectives, faces, and voices, enriching our content for the benefit of our audience.
We must avoid stereotypes when describing public groups.

Editorial integrity and independence

The audience must be able to trust the integrity of SOVA materials. They must be confident that decisions are made solely on the basis of valid editorial reasons, and not as a result of inappropriate pressure, whether it be political, commercial, or any other special interest.

The non-professional activities of the creators of the materials should not have a detrimental effect on the content of SOVA.

Respect for privacy

SOVA must respect people’s privacy, recognizing that any interference can only be justified by the consideration of serving the greater good. Private behavior, correspondence and conversations should not be made public unless it is in the interest of the general public.

Respect for norms of good taste and decency

Program creators must know and respect the often different perspectives of their audience on what can and cannot be considered offensive. The right to challenge audience expectations through the use of creative and unexpected techniques must be respected, but the audience must not be subjected to unwarranted abuse. It is important to consider the audience’s expectations related to specific programs (services) and their broadcast times.

Avoiding the imitation of antisocial and criminal behavior

The audience is concerned about the potential for imitation of behavior that they see on television, hear on the radio, or read about in the press. We must strive to ensure that any threats to human life, antisocial or criminal behavior that SOVA reports on do not encourage the audience to replicate these actions.

Protecting the well-being of children

Content creators must prioritize the well-being of children featured in their materials or audio/video content. They should carefully consider the impact their content may have on children, both in terms of the methods used to create it and the potential consequences of its publication.

Honesty in relation to the interviewees

Interviews on SOVA should be conducted in a polite and respectful manner. They can be exploratory, sharp, skeptical, and informative, but they should not be biased, impolite, or emotionally biased in favor of one side of the argument. They should not be aggressive, confrontational, or rude, despite any potential provocations. Interviewees should be given an honest opportunity to fully respond to the questions.

Respect for the diversity of the audience in Georgia

The content and services of SOVA must be adequate and meet the interests of our entire audience in any part of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders.

Partner materials

The content of SOVA produced as a result of a commercial agreement must have an appropriate explanation for the reader. Advertising of any type must be marked as follows: *partner material.

Non-governmental organization Sova News Identification Number: 405133421 E-mail: info@sovanews.tv