Aneta Grosu, Editor-in-chief of Ziarul de Garda Newspaper: “The independent Journalism is mostly represented by Women”

- I think this situation was inherited from the Soviet period, when gender equality was expressed by the participation of a successful milkmaid in congresses of the USSR Communist Party or by awarding Soviet medals and orders to a female tractor driver. After over 20 years of Independence, we have not succeeded yet to get rid of many vices inherited from the past. On the one hand, we get involved in activities and projects that are meant to show that women are given a place of honour in the society, and, on the other hand, we have only 3-4 female ministers in cabinets governed by men or not more than 10-15 female deputies in overly masculine parliaments. Perhaps, this situation would not be so troublesome, if there was no discrimination against women in terms of labour remuneration in Moldova. Even the United Nations revealed that women in Moldova are salaried 10% less than men for the same amount of work, for the same quality of labour (or even higher).

During the recruitment procedures, the heads of institutions or company managers prefer to select male subordinates. As for women, if they however recruit them, they use to “choose” mainly young employees, “free” from family worries. But what shall the others do?

What about the mass-media? We need first to realise the extent and the quality of mass-media in the Republic of Moldova. If the media “concerns” from our country may be classified as mass-media, then the statistics could look one way, and if we exclude such “concerns”, we would probably get other data. The independent journalism is mostly represented by women. In other institutions - men are the ones who dictate the editorial policy.

Lately, there has been a massive mass-media feminization - on TV screens, at press conferences and other events, female journalists have a 90% presence; female students make up the largest share of journalism students ... How do you explain this phenomenon?

- In the Republic of Moldova, there is a distorted concept of the profession of journalist. Many people still believe that journalism means presenting news or entertainment programmes on TV. Fewer are interested in writing. If an anonymous survey was conducted among the journalism students (who are actually female students), it will certainly appear that most of them wish to appear on TV. But few of the respondents would however ask themselves if they personally have something to say to people. What would be the identikit picture of a female journalist in Moldova?

- The few female journalists in Moldova I know are tenacious, purposeful, well informed, they read a lot and are independent. They are attached to their job and may even be considered as opinion leaders.

- Many of our colleagues consider Ziarul de Garda newspaper as not just weeklies, but also a very good school for investigative journalists. How did you succeed to build this team? What skills should have those who want to practise the investigative journalism, if any ...

- It is true, throughout 12 years since the launch of the publication, a lot of young people who further became good journalists have worked for Ziarul de Garda. Victor Moșneag (Ziarul de Garda), Anastasia Nani (anticorupție.md), Diana Răilean (Radio Free Europe), Iurie Sanduță (RISE Moldova), and other came to Ziarul de Garda after the first year of studies, for their first professional internship. They remained in the team, being employed since they were students. It was a good experience for them, but particularly for us. Working with a young team is really something very special.

- The journalist’s job implies courage and risks. Please, speak in this context about some risky situations faced by you personally or together with your colleagues, as a journalist or an editor-in-chief ...

- I shall not talk about me ... Currently, the largest risks faced by the investigative journalists are the court trials in which we are brought, often wrongly, but which mean loss of time, of nerves and even of financial resources in certain situations. A case brought in the court by a former deputy lasted for years. He sued our editorial team in the courts of Chisinau and Straseni. He did not win the case, but he did harass us, as for us, despite the fact that we succeeded to prove the truth of what was written, we did not bring any action against the former deputy for the prejudice caused to our team throughout the five years of trials. Working for Ziarul de Garda, we have also experienced threats to the team of editors or to the authors who sign certain investigations. At the same time, this is also a reason for a kind of hidden pride, as whenever we have attempted to suggest to the journalists to protect their identity in case of risky articles, they however signed their names.

- You have been practising this profession for a long time. In what period did the State authorities seem to be more responsive to issues raised by the mass-media?

- I do not recall such a period. I even often think that we are just naïve believing that the change of those in power would change the attitude of the government towards the problems raised by the media or towards the situation of the media in the Republic of Moldova. Year after year, I witnessed a lot of different problems: limited access of the mass-media to public information; journalists kept at the doors of courts when cases with resonance were being examined; reporters “locked up” in the Parliament building; journalists threatened or even aggressed; mass-media institutions sued by corrupt officials or mobster judges; leaders of political parties damning the press; persons in charge of press distribution keeping the newspapers hidden from the eyes of readers, etc. All this happened throughout the more than two decades of independence, during which representatives of left-wing, right-wing, pro-Russian, pro-European parties, centrists or “alliances” succeeded each other at the governance. In fact, within the team of Ziarul de Garda, we feel a kind of comfort coming from the fact that none government has favoured us. In such circumstances, it is easier to be independent, and it is also more valuable.

- You have worked for many years at the national television channel. How were those years; why did you leave the television and how do you see today the public TV channel?

- I have worked for exactly 15 years at Teleradio Moldova. They were different, but an event that I cannot forget was the launch of “Mesager” newscast. In fact, I did not leave the TV station, but I was dismissed by the agrarian-communist regime. It was a tough test for me, but I have learnt much from it. As for what we see today on TV screens, it is a separate topic. Personally, I miss professionals and professionalism.

- What advice would you give to the young journalists joining this profession?

- I would rather say what I would do at their age, if I could go back in time. I would read a lot of press, I would learn languages, I would travel more, especially in our villages, I would keep a journal about the people I meet due to this profession. Despite the tension faced in this job, I would spend more time closer to my family, my parents, my husband and my children.

- What does journalism in Moldova still need to become the fourth power, worthy of consideration?

- Tenacity, consistency, power of persuasion, as well as a ground for fulfilment. When I say a ground for fulfilment, I mean the few independent media in Moldova that can express a diversity of views, bringing arguments.

- Have you ever had the feeling that journalism can change the world, the people, our daily life?

- I have always had such a feeling, otherwise I would not be here.
 
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