Abstract

The author traces how Georgian radio drew on American models to undermine Soviet information control and nurture national dissent in the late twentieth century. Focusing on the invention of Pikis Saati (‘prime time’), the study reconstructs its schedule, content strategy and professional practices that competed with Western broadcasts and bypassed Kremlin counter‑propaganda. Drawing on archival reporting and first‑hand journalistic experience, the piece argues that this programme created a vital auditory space for liberal ideas, mobilised public sentiment and helped prepare Georgia for independence in the 1990s. The analysis situates the phenomenon within broader media‑technological shifts that “shrunk” geopolitical distance and shows how local journalists adapted foreign formats to serve a distinct national struggle.