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Рy07 May 2014
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Freedom of the media showed no developments over the first three months of 2014, maintaining the position it had during the previous year. This conclusion was made in the fourth monitoring report (Media Freedom Index for the countries of the Eastern Partnership), presented by the Independent Journalism Center (IJC) on 6 May during a discussion on the topic of Status of the media in Moldova: between “leadership” and “freedom”.
During the discussion, media experts, journalists, managers of media outlets, Parliament and civil society representatives spoke about several current problems related to mass media, such as monopolization of the advertising market, lack of information about the owners of media outlets, difficulties in the business activities of the media, etc. Participants also discussed the phenomenon of plagiarism in mass media, the importance of correct and neutral coverage of events, manipulation of public opinion and the status of journalist in the context of Internet development.
Nadine Gogu, director of the Independent Journalism Center (IJC), made a brief introduction to the report on the assessment of media freedom in the countries of the Eastern Partnership. Thus, while the overall situation of media freedom in Moldova is better than in other Partnership countries, the IJC director pointed out several problems hindering the work of mass media in Moldova. These problems include exclusion of three TV channels from the offers of service distributors early this year, delay in the appointment of members to the Supervisory Board of the public radio and television, prohibition of journalists’ access to the Parliament’s assembly hall, etc. At the same time, Nadine Gogu spoke about positive developments in the online segment of Moldova.
The director of the Ziarul de Garda investigative newspaper Alina Radu believes that there is still a lot to do for media freedom and that the media should adopt European practices. In her opinion, journalists in Moldova are facing problems related to access to information, and the fees on requests for information from authorities are unjustified. “Investigative reporters are in a way working on a minefield,” Alina Radu said. She also appeared outraged with the problems existing in the distribution of newspapers by the state-owned company Posta Moldovei.
Speaking about the plagiarism that exists in journalism, media expert Petru Macovei mentioned that editors and journalists often neglect this problem. Media law expert Olivia Pirtac is of the opinion that such cases should be solved at the level of self-regulation with the support of the Press Council. In this sense, several of the experts spoke about the need to educate the public in the culture of information consumption.
Another issue addressed by the journalists present at the discussion was the concentration of media advertising. The editor-in-chief of the Panorama newspaper Vladimir Thoric said that newspapers are one step from bankruptcy because of the fact that all advertising “goes” to televisions. “Advertising goes to two large sales houses controlled by Plahotniuc and Filat,” Thoric concluded.
At the same time, journalist and director of the representative office of the MIR broadcaster in Moldova Ion Terguta believes that Moldovan media should change their development strategy. He claims that mass media should get beyond the “NGO level” and focus their product on consumers. “The difference between us and Americans is that they have an industry,” Ion Terguta added.
Valeriu Saharneanu, MP representing the Liberal Reformatory Party and vice-chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on culture, education, science, youth, sport and mass media, supported the discussion of media professionals, also mentioning that “mass media will be truly strong when they are credible.” Valeriu Saharneanu assured participants that as an MP he will continue promoting legislative initiatives in the field of mass media in the Moldovan Parliament. He also mentioned that to increase the efficiency of actions, there is need in joint efforts of media representatives and MPs. Valeriu Saharneanu expressed his indignation with the shallowness of media products and with the fact that they violate ethical norms, thus discrediting mass media and jeopardizing respect for them.
During the discussion, media experts, journalists, managers of media outlets, Parliament and civil society representatives spoke about several current problems related to mass media, such as monopolization of the advertising market, lack of information about the owners of media outlets, difficulties in the business activities of the media, etc. Participants also discussed the phenomenon of plagiarism in mass media, the importance of correct and neutral coverage of events, manipulation of public opinion and the status of journalist in the context of Internet development.
Nadine Gogu, director of the Independent Journalism Center (IJC), made a brief introduction to the report on the assessment of media freedom in the countries of the Eastern Partnership. Thus, while the overall situation of media freedom in Moldova is better than in other Partnership countries, the IJC director pointed out several problems hindering the work of mass media in Moldova. These problems include exclusion of three TV channels from the offers of service distributors early this year, delay in the appointment of members to the Supervisory Board of the public radio and television, prohibition of journalists’ access to the Parliament’s assembly hall, etc. At the same time, Nadine Gogu spoke about positive developments in the online segment of Moldova.
The director of the Ziarul de Garda investigative newspaper Alina Radu believes that there is still a lot to do for media freedom and that the media should adopt European practices. In her opinion, journalists in Moldova are facing problems related to access to information, and the fees on requests for information from authorities are unjustified. “Investigative reporters are in a way working on a minefield,” Alina Radu said. She also appeared outraged with the problems existing in the distribution of newspapers by the state-owned company Posta Moldovei.
Speaking about the plagiarism that exists in journalism, media expert Petru Macovei mentioned that editors and journalists often neglect this problem. Media law expert Olivia Pirtac is of the opinion that such cases should be solved at the level of self-regulation with the support of the Press Council. In this sense, several of the experts spoke about the need to educate the public in the culture of information consumption.
Another issue addressed by the journalists present at the discussion was the concentration of media advertising. The editor-in-chief of the Panorama newspaper Vladimir Thoric said that newspapers are one step from bankruptcy because of the fact that all advertising “goes” to televisions. “Advertising goes to two large sales houses controlled by Plahotniuc and Filat,” Thoric concluded.
At the same time, journalist and director of the representative office of the MIR broadcaster in Moldova Ion Terguta believes that Moldovan media should change their development strategy. He claims that mass media should get beyond the “NGO level” and focus their product on consumers. “The difference between us and Americans is that they have an industry,” Ion Terguta added.
Valeriu Saharneanu, MP representing the Liberal Reformatory Party and vice-chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on culture, education, science, youth, sport and mass media, supported the discussion of media professionals, also mentioning that “mass media will be truly strong when they are credible.” Valeriu Saharneanu assured participants that as an MP he will continue promoting legislative initiatives in the field of mass media in the Moldovan Parliament. He also mentioned that to increase the efficiency of actions, there is need in joint efforts of media representatives and MPs. Valeriu Saharneanu expressed his indignation with the shallowness of media products and with the fact that they violate ethical norms, thus discrediting mass media and jeopardizing respect for them.
In should be mentioned that the Media Freedom Index has been produced as part of the Eastern Partnership Media Freedom Watch project, implemented by the Independent Journalism Center (IJC) in partnership with Internews-Ukraine and with financial support of the European Union.
