Independence Avenue Media (IAM) is an independent international journalism initiative committed to fact-based reporting that explains U.S. society, foreign policy and democratic values to global audiences – especially in regions shaped by authoritarian influence and democratic fragility.
IAM was founded to fill the gap left by the weakening of trusted international broadcasters. IAM offers audiences more than just headlines – it provides essential context, connecting local realities to global conversations.
What makes IAM different is its purpose-driven journalism. We’re not chasing clicks or trends. We prioritize depth, clarity, and relevance – empowering viewers through thoughtful explainers, interviews, field reporting, and expert commentary.
Our Team
Ia Meurmishvili
President and CEO, Independence Avenue Media
Editor in Chief
Ia Meurmishvili is the President and CEO of Independence Avenue Media, a Washington, DC-based international media organization focused on providing clear, independent reporting about the United States and its foreign policies to audiences in Eurasia, and globally online. A prominent broadcaster and journalist, she is widely known in her native Georgia for anchoring Voice of America’s flagship Georgian-language television program “View from Washington.”
Ms. Meurmishvili spent 15 years at Voice of America, including as Managing Editor of the Georgian Service, where she led coverage of American foreign policy, transatlantic relations, NATO, U.S.-Russia relations, Ukraine, Black Sea Security, and U.S.-Georgia relations. She continues to provide analysis and commentary as an independent journalist, offering unique insights into American foreign policy.
She is a frequent guest commentator in international media and speaks regularly at global conferences. In addition to her broadcasting work, Ms. Meurmishvili has lectured on U.S. politics, disinformation, the role of journalism in democracy, and policy trends in the South Caucasus. Her earlier professional experience includes roles at the Eurasia Foundation, Finmeccanica, and the office of U.S. Representative Allyson Schwartz.
Ms. Meurmishvili is also the founder and director of Villa Chven Winery, which produces premium Georgian wines from indigenous grape varietals in the Racha Region. She is committed to reviving Georgia’s centuries-old winemaking traditions, disrupted by Russian imperial and Soviet rule.
Kartlos Sharashenidze
Co-Founder Independence Avenue Media
Managing Editor, International Coverage
Kartlos Sharashenidze is the co-founder and Managing Editor for International Coverage at Independence Avenue Media. A journalist of Georgian origin based in Washington, D.C., he brings over 15 years of experience covering U.S. foreign policy, transatlantic security, and geopolitics in Eurasia.
Sharashenidze began his career in 2009 as a reporter for Georgian television, later serving as Executive Producer of national morning news programs at the Georgian Public Broadcaster and TV Imedi. In 2018, he joined Voice of America’s Georgian language service as a New York-based stringer, reporting on U.S.–Georgia relations, American politics and society, and producing short-format documentaries. From 2019 to 2024, he worked at VOA in Washington, D.C. as an international multimedia journalist.
At VOA, he anchored the service’s flagship television program View from Washington and served as duty editor, leading editorial coverage of U.S. politics, Congress, NATO, Eurasia, and global democratic trends. His reporting includes exclusive interviews with senior American policymakers and thought leaders, as well as in-depth coverage of Russian and Chinese influence in the region, disinformation, democratic backsliding, and regional security challenges.
Saba Gujabidze
Co-Founder, Independence Avenue Media
CMO- Chief Multimedia Officer
Saba Gujabidze is the Chief Multimedia Officer and co-founder of Independence Avenue Media, where he brings more than 15 years of international journalism experience spanning Georgia and the United States.
A seasoned visual storyteller, Gujabidze previously served as a multimedia journalist at Voice of America’s Georgian Service in Washington, D.C., following a career at Rustavi 2 and Imedi TV, two of Georgia’s largest broadcasters.
At Independence Avenue Media, he oversees the organization’s visual identity and digital engagement, directing social media strategy, video production, and graphic design. His creative leadership is central to the outlet’s dynamic approach to multimedia journalism.
His portfolio includes documentaries and longform video reporting on the Georgian diaspora’s contributions to American culture, the intersection of innovation and military technology, and the global reach of Chinese influence. His reporting has garnered millions of views across platforms and earned recognition for its visual depth and narrative power.
Gujabidze is widely known among colleagues and audiences for his ability to tell compelling, consequential stories – honestly, thoughtfully, and with creative precision.
