Civil.ge Send an email 27/02/2026 - 13:10. 2 minutes read. Imedi TV said it will launch its own “Imedi Bank” within “a few months, Civil Georgia
Shaping views on domestic politics and Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration goals. imedi tv
: A defining moment in its history occurred on November 7, 2007, when government forces raided and shut down the station during a period of widespread anti-government protests. : A defining moment in its history occurred
The sanctions have had an immediate impact on the channel's operations. In an attempt to circumvent financial restrictions, Imedi began paying its employees' salaries in cash to avoid putting Georgian banks in an "awkward position". The channel also found itself in conflict with a major advertiser, the Georgian coffee company Meama, which stated it did not intend to work with sanctioned companies. In a dramatic response, Imedi announced plans to establish its own bank, named Imedi Bank, "in the shortest time possible". The channel also found itself in conflict with
The day after the sanctions were announced, major changes unfolded within the channel's ownership and management structure. Irakli Rukhadze and several members of Imedi's supervisory board submitted applications to the Public Registry to resign from their positions. The new owners of Imedi were listed as Prime Media Global, the current Director General Maka Lomidze, and her deputies. This new entity is fully owned by Ilia Mikelashvili, a former government official. Reports indicated that Rukhadze had transferred the intermediary company through which he held 100% ownership of Imedi for the nominal sum of 1,000 GEL, despite the channel reportedly having approximately 17 million GEL in debt to the state at the time of the transaction. Imedi TV itself has dismissed the UK's sanctions as holding "no value," stating that the only valuable assessment is the trust of the Georgian people.
By 2007, Imedi had become the primary opposition broadcaster. On November 7, 2007, government forces violently dispersed protests led by a coalition that included Imedi’s owner. Police raided Imedi’s headquarters, shut down its broadcast, and seized equipment — an event widely condemned by international watchdogs (Freedom House, 2008). The raid marked a turning point: Patarkatsishvili fled to London, and the channel returned to air under government pressure, albeit with a more cautious editorial stance.
Imedi TV stands as a dominant force in the Republic of Georgia’s media ecosystem. Founded in the early 2000s, the network has evolved from a ambitious broadcast startup into the country's most-watched television channel. Through political turbulence, technological shifts, and changing audience habits, Imedi TV has continuously redefined how Georgians consume news, entertainment, and cultural programming. History and Origins