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EU Ambassador to Chisinau Peter Michalko On Role of Media in Strengthening Democracy
During a March 1 press conference marking the first half-year into his role, EU Ambassador to Chisinau Peter Michalko commented on the role of media in democratic societies. Ambassador Michalko highlighted the role of media in informing the public and said it serves a particularly critical function in election years. He added that any element limiting media freedom is assessed as a negative factor during evaluations of democratic standards, which are often considered when making decisions on financial assistance. He noted that Moldova must uphold access to free information and that policymakers must understand the importance of such an environment.
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Inter-Parliamentary Conference in Chisinau: Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia to Promote Common Security Policies
During a March 2 press conference in Chisinau, the speakers of Georgian, Moldovan, and Ukrainian Parliaments pledged support for common security policies. During the first Inter-Parliamentary Conference: Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine: Eastern Partnership and Current Security Challenges, speakers of parliament from the three countries described the danger of misinformation, propaganda, and other information security issues. The conference emerged through partnership between the speakers and the Atlantic Council. Public perceptions of the event varied significantly across the political spectrum.
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Statement of Media NGOs on PPEM Interfering with the Media Space
On March 13, the European People’s Party of Moldova (PPEM) published an open letter on its Facebook page, calling for TV8, Jurnal TV and Unimedia journalists to balance their statements concerning Deputy Prime Minister Iurie Leanca so as to provide “accurate information to the audience.” Several NGOs – the Independent Journalism Center (IJC), Association of Independent Press (API), Association of Electronic Press (APEL), Center for Investigative Journalism (CIJM), Press Freedom Committee, Association of Independent TV Journalists (ATVJI), and the Access Info Center – signed a statement expressing concern and describing the PPEM request as interference and pressure within the journalistic community. The signatories urged political parties not to interfere with the work of media outlets and journalists.
Media NGOs Express Concern over Assault against Jurnal TV Team
Seven media NGOs, including the Independent Journalism Center (IJC), voiced their concern over a physical assault against a Jurnal TV camera crew. While working on a journalistic investigation regarding businessman Iuri Luncasu, a security guard assaulted a cameraman with a snow shovel. The signatories condemned the violence against the journalist and urged authorities to take immediate action.
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Roundtable Discussion Focuses on Fake News
Moldova must develop its institutional capacities to combat fake news and engage scientific researchers in the field of information security. These are some of the recommendations made by media experts during a round table session on parliamentary oversight in the context of information security. The Geneva Center for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) jointly with the NATO Information and Documentation Center (IDC NATO) organized the event. Members of Parliament, media experts, security experts, and civil society representatives participated and shared their views on the development of a new draft of the Information Security Concept.
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Public Consultations on Selecting Firm to Evaluate Media Market
On March 5, the Broadcasting Coordinating Council (CCA) held public debates on the draft Regulation on the Method of Selecting an Audience Measurement Company, to select an entity that will evaluate media audiences and calculate market shares. Some broadcasters opposed CCA's participation on this special committee, arguing that the CCA should only monitor the selection process. The draft provided that the committee would consist of 15 members, five of whom would be from CCA. The public hearings are ongoing.
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Massive Russian Propaganda on Odnoklassniki
The Institute for Public Policy (IPP) published a study concluding that Odnoklassniki is an important channel through which Russia disseminates propaganda. The study Russian Propaganda on “Odnoklassniki.” The Case of the Republic of Moldova argues that propagandistic content on Odnoklassniki represented 57% of all content analyzed by the researchers. Propaganda topics included anti-Ukraine (21.1%), anti-EU (13.1%), and pro-Russian (20%) messages. The authors found that Moldova lacks the proper means to mitigate the impact of Russian propaganda on Odnoklassniki and stressed the urgency of developing strategies to counter disinformation to this effect.
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How to Leverage Right of Freedom of Expression Online and Offline
The study First Steps in Understanding Freedom of Expression Online and Offline, released in Chisinau on March 6, will help journalists understand the role of freedom of expression in the digital space. The study considers international standards and regulatory developments regarding freedom of expression. The American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative in Moldova (ABA ROLI) conducted the research based on case law from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The report was translated into nine languages, including Romanian and Russian, and is available on cases.internetfreedom.blog.
Survey: Journalists are Well-Trained but Politically Partisan
Moldovan journalists are perceived as well-trained professionals who are influenced at the same time by management to favor certain political leaders. These are the findings of the report Media Developments and Preferences in the Republic of Moldova, published in Chisinau on March 19. The survey also showed that Moldovan citizens tend to be highly skeptical toward the work of journalists – only 1% of respondents agreed that media reports mirror reality “to a very high extent,” and 53% of respondents noted that a large number of journalists artificially promote political leaders via manipulation or misinformation.
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Implementation Gaps in Media-Related Aspects of the National Action Plan
The new National Action Plan (NAP) for the implementation of the Association Agreement (AA) between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union may direct inadequate attention toward the development of print and digital media according to media experts and authors of the fourth Report on Fulfillment of Commitments in the Media Space. The report expressed concern over a disproportionate level of emphasis on the audiovisual format based on a reporting period of December 2017 through February 2018. The Association of Independent Press (API) released the document on March 15.
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Public Warning Issued to 17 Radio Stations for Noncompliance with Broadcasting Code Provisions on Linguistic Heritage
The Broadcasting Coordinating Council (CCA) continues to monitor compliance of broadcasters with provisions of the Broadcasting Code designed to protect national linguistic and cultural heritage. Out of 30 radio stations monitored by the CCA, only 11 fully complied with provisions regarding local production. During a March 14 session, CCA members issued a public warning to 17 radio stations and ruled that two stations – Radio Sport and Europa Plus Moldova – be subject to continued monitoring.
First Fines for Noncompliance with Anti-Propaganda Law Issued
The RTR TV channel, one of the most-watched channels in Moldova, was fined MDL 50,000 (EUR 2,460) for failure to comply with provisions regarding the rebroadcasting of informational programming from the Russian Federation. This follows several days of monitoring by the CCA, which concluded that RTR Moldova broadcasted news developed by Rossiya 1 TV in the Russian Federation. CCA Chair Dragos Vicol commented that RTR Moldova likely attempted to circumvent detection in broadcasting programs produced in countries not on the approved list associated per the Anti-propaganda Law.
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Media-M project updates
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2017 Moldovan Press Status Index: Moldovan Media Plagued with Critical Issues
The Independent Journalism Center (IJC) has published a report analyzing seven indicators of the status of the press in Moldova: the legal and regulatory framework on media; political environment; economic environment; professional environment; quality of journalism; information security from a media perspective; and the security of journalists. According to the report, critical concerns emerged within the areas of legal environment and information security. The security of journalists and the quality of journalism in Moldova also exhibited serious signs of concern. IJC produced the report as part of the “Media Enabling Democracy, Inclusion and Accountability in Moldova” (MEDIA-M) Project, implemented by IJC and Internews with funding from USAID.
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Training for Journalists: "Data Visualization – Making Information Attractive"
A group of journalists from various media outlets in Moldova participated in a two-day training session (March 23-24) on organizing information using data visualization techniques. Instructor Andrey Misyurev, expert in visualization and communication from Saint Petersburg, Russia, shared strategies for presenting data and information in attractive, engaging formats. Participants honed their skills through several practical exercises.
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Ambassadors of Media Literacy in Rural Communities. Librarian Alexandru Rusu of the Public Library of Izbiste proved it was possible to create engaging and effective media literacy training with limited resources. Mr. Rusu organized a training session in a post office for elderly citizens waiting to receive their pensions. Mr. Rusu is one of the 16 Novateca librarians trained in media and information literacy through the "Strengthening Independent Media and Media Literacy" project implemented by IREX Europe Moldova, which informs citizens on techniques associated with propaganda and media manipulation so as to develop skills for critical analysis of information. So far, approximately 100 training sessions have been conducted for teachers, librarians, kindergarten assistants, local officials, students, and other citizens across the country.
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International Experts Share Experience in Training for Moldovan Journalists
Journalists from various media outlets in Moldova participated in a two-day training session (March 16-17) in which Timothy Large, a British journalist with 20 years of experience, discussed narrative journalism while Marija Ristic, a Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) expert, discussed conflict journalism. On the second day, each participant produced ideas for a media product and received expert feedback. In the next stage, Moldovan journalists will write articles that will be published in the international press with the support of BIRN. The training was organized by the Independent Journalism Center (IJC) in collaboration with BIRN.
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Over 100 representatives from independent media, government, civil society, and the international donor community participated in the 2018 Media Policy Forum in Chisinau to discuss challenges facing Moldova’s media environment and potential lessons from the broader region. A replay of the Forum is available online. Freedom House hosted the event in partnership with the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation, the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN), and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation Southeast Europe with support from USAID Moldova and Internews in Moldova under the MEDIA-M project.
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On March 15, Press Council Secretary and Association of Independent Press (API) Executive Director Petru Macovei moderated a Discussion Club session in Straseni on the ethical obligations of journalists and the critical role journalists play in enhancing media integrity in Moldova.
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The third policy brief in Freedom House’s Media Forward series has been published. Author Nadine Gogu explores the Moldovan media market’s infrastructure and how it fuels the concentration and politicization of media in Moldova.
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In the 66th edition, journalist Anastasia Nani and her guests – investigative journalists Mariana Rata and Victor Mosneag – discussed the visit of a group of journalists to Turkey. The trip was funded by a clinic that Rise Moldova targeted in a journalistic investigation of a charity platform. The topic of the 67th edition was the “Big Brother” Law vs. Freedom of Expression on the Internet. Journalist Ivan Sveatcenko and his guest, Information Policy Institute Director Alexei Marciuc, discussed the risks this draft law poses to freedom of expression in the digital space.
The 68th edition covered phone and video wiretaps targeting public figures. Journalist Irina Gotisan and her guests – the Director of the Center for Investigative Journalism, Cornelia Cozonac, and Legal Advisor of the Legal Resources Center in Moldova, Dumitru Ambroci – discussed the legality of journalistic usage of such wiretaps. The Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal was tackled in the 69 edition of the Media Azi talk show. Journalist Vladimir Thorik and his guest Alexander Kantler, author of online services, discussed about the risks and opportunities out there for the media in promoting themselves on social networks. The talk show was developed with financial support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation via the Swedish Embassy in Chisinau.
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