The Washington Inquirer EditorAfter undergoing a complete visual overhaul by changing design and updating their server, Business Time, a local media outlet with a focus on business and economy, is now expanding its website with new sections, adding video series and new columns dedicated to Georgian emigrants, and becoming multilingual by adding English and Chinese languages.
Learn about the future plans of the Business Time, its partnership with the Golden Brand Awards and supportive measures for the business sector, through an interview with Miranda Shurgaia, the Editor of Business Time.
Q. Business Time is supporting the Golden brand again this year. Can you tell us about your partnership and shared interests?
A. First of all, I want to note with joy that our partnership has taken a more conventional approach. This is an opportunity for us to be present where a large part of the business is represented. As top-quality media, we are honored to be associated with the Golden Brand. This has led to our continued collaboration, which we greatly appreciate.
Q. How important do you think the Golden Brand Awards are for the business sector?
A. I believe the Golden Brand award serves as a powerful incentive and motivator, especially for businesses that significantly contribute to our budget. By recognizing and rewarding their hard work once a year in such a prestigious manner, we inspire them to strive for even greater success with increased determination and enthusiasm.
Q. Could you please talk about the different types of business support activities offered by Business Time?
A. Business Time always strives to be present in places where startups and innovation thrive. We maintain a close relationship with industry leaders while remaining committed to supporting new business initiatives. We take pride in contributing to the growth and success of these ventures to the best of our ability.
Q. Please tell us recent developments at Business Time and share future plans.
A. Last year, we underwent a complete visual overhaul of our agency by changing the design and updating our server, which we believe was a wise decision.
We have also introduced new sections to our website. While we have ambitious plans, we are keeping them realistic. In the near future, we plan to launch a video series that features successful Georgians with interesting stories who work outside the country. We will also add a column named “Emigrant’s Story”, where we will follow their stories, their journey, and their accomplishments. Emigrants make a significant contribution to our economy, both as individuals and business owners, so we believe that our readers will find their stories compelling and informative.
Q. What is Business Time’s niche in the market?
A. Business Time is a news agency that focuses on reporting business and economic news of our country, as well as covering important economic developments in other countries that impact our economy.
Our team is dedicated to providing our readers with accurate and reliable information.
We believe that development is an ongoing process, and we are committed to continuously improving and strengthening our position as a trusted source of news and analysis.
Q. What are the biggest challenges you face as an editor and how do you overcome them?
A. I think we need more staff, and it can be difficult to solve this challenge quickly. This problem is not unique to our industry, as many other sectors face similar challenges – the lack of qualified personnel. Having a professional staff is the most important challenge we face.
During my interview at Business Time, I was told that it’s not just important to work hard, but also to distribute our energy correctly and efficiently. I fully agree with this statement. By working together as a team and taking a measured approach, we can achieve our goals.
Q. What are your personal goals and desires, how would you like to further develop Business Time?
A. We have many wishes, but one of our main goals is to have a stronger presence in the business community. Additionally, we plan on making our news agency multilingual. At the first stage, we plan on adding English and Chinese languages. The reason we chose Chinese is because business relations between our countries are rapidly developing. We have signed a visa-free regime and a free trade agreement with China.
Q. We discussed how you support the business sector. Let’s shift focus and talk about the type of support Business Time, or media in general needs from the sector.
A. Of course, we are eager to become more attractive to businesses and encourage them to cooperate with us swiftly and confidently. This is crucial for us as an independent agency, since our primary source of income is advertising revenue. Increased business collaboration will provide us with the opportunity to expand our team and hire talented individuals who share our goals and aspirations.
Q. In general, how would you evaluate the media market in our country and its potential for development?
A. The competition in the media industry is quite high, with new agencies and outlets of various profiles being created. However, in terms of business and economy, the situation is stable and of high quality. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about politicized news media, as the reality in this regard is different.
It’s important to note that social media play a significant role in Georgia’s media market today. When we disseminate the news, we need to make sure that we do it accurately and with high-quality on social media, as most people now access news via these channels. Fewer and fewer people watch television, so whether it’s radio, TV or online media, social media is where readers, listeners and viewers are reached. This has positive and negative implications. On the positive side, we have the opportunity to reach more people and increase our readership.
