Tracking Georgia's Media, Internet Usage and Perceptions Over a Decade

Abstract

The article is an overview of the Georgian public's media consumption patterns, including trust in media, primary information sources, and social media, using data from CRRC Georgia's Caucasus Barometer surveys. The study tracks significant changes that occurred over a decade - between 2013 and 2024. It explores how the Georgian public has navigated the information age, mainly moving away from traditional media to digital platforms. The article also highlights the rise in everyday internet usage and the dominance of social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube among younger and more educated users. Using descriptive and inferential statistical methods, this study gives particular attention to the increasing generational gap in terms of trust, primary information sources, internet usage, and activities on social media platforms. This analysis additionally highlights an increasingly polarized sense of trust in the media, with a large portion of the population expressing scepticism towards all TV channels.