Mze TV

Mze TV (Georgian: მზე) was a Georgian television channel, launched in 2003 by Vano Chkhartishvili, a Georgian millionaire and member of the Georgian parliament from 1999 until 2007. He served as Economy Minister under President Eduard Shevardnadze from November 2001-November 2003.

By 2004 Mze (meaning ‘Sun’) was one of Georgia's leading channels, broadcasting a variety of content including popular political talk shows.

However, over the course of the next few years Chkhartishvili sold all his shares in the company and it became the focus of concern for opposition politicians and independent commentators who suggested Mze was coming under pressure from the Georgian government for failing to keep in line politically. It eventually became wholly owned by Rustavi 2, another leading television company, and moved to broadcasting a programme of entertainment without any news coverage.