Media Azi Broadcast, 28th Edition: The Evolution and Involution of the Press in 2016

The last December issue of Media Azi broadcast made a review of the main achievements, as well as of the problems faced by the media in 2016. The journalist Nicolae Negru, the show moderator, discussed about these issues with his guest, Petru Macovei, Executive Director of the Independent Press Association.

Does a healthy, independent press exist in the Republic of Moldova? How to explain the paradox that, despite the very precarious economic situation, the media outlets spring up like mushrooms? To what extent can we also talk about a better quality of the journalistic products? Who finances the domestic mass-media?

According to the show’s guest, we can speak about an involution, rather than about the evolution of the media in 2016. The press has not gained more independence this year, for several reasons. On the one hand, because there are no conditions for the development of the media companies; on the other hand, because the authorities and the politicians, in general, do their best “to strangle what remained from the independent media, to subjugate them in order to use them for various purposes, often for manipulative purposes, and also for promoting their own interests, their own businesses”.

The show also gives answer to other questions concerning the current situation of the media, such as: limitation of the access to public information; the insignificant impact of the ownership transparency in the broadcasting field, because of the failure to undertake anti-concentration measures; the reasons for which the new Broadcasting Code was not adopted so far; and, last but not least – why the journalistic solidarity cannot exist beyond the journalistic ethics, in the opinion of the participants in the show.

 “Media Azi” broadcast is a product of the Independent Journalism Center (IJC) and may be viewed on Media Azi, Mediacritica and Moldova Azi websites, and on IJC’s Youtube channel.