Public broadcaster’s board of trustees selected on August 6 three contenders out of fifteen, who progressed in the second round of contest for the broadcaster’s vacant seat of general director.

Gia Chanturia, an acting general director, who was Levan Kubaneishvili’s deputy before the latter quit the post of general director late last month; as well as a long-time journalist Zviad Koridze and a film director Giorgi Kacharava were selected by eight members of the board through a secret ballot.

Koridze and Kacharava received seven votes each and Chanturia – six. Each member of the board could vote for as many contenders as they wished and those candidates who received more than five votes progressed into the second round.

Erosi Kitsmarishvili, a founder and former co-owner of Rustavi 2 TV, received only one vote.

Kacharava, who is little known for the public and who received seven votes, writes in an outline of his priorities for the public broadcaster, submitted to the board, that production of TV series and entertainment shows would be among his priorities.

Total of sixteen people applied for the vacant post, but one contender – Giorgi Tsikhiseli, chief of newsroom at a Russian-language RTVi television network, was dismissed by the board from competition citing improperly filed papers for registration.

Public TV will host live debates between the three candidates on August 7, moderated by Davit Paichadze, a journalist and assistant professor at the Ilia Chavchavadze University.

No audience is expected to be present at the debates in studio, as it was demanded by a group of activists, which has launched a campaign for a transparent election of the public broadcaster’s new head. The group is also calling for a live broadcast of interviewing of three contenders by the board members – the demand, which is also rejected by the board.