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BC applied sanctions after reviewing its own report on monitoring the coverage of social-political events of 7-14 June 2019 in the main newscasts of the following TV stations: Moldova 1, NTV Moldova, Prime, Publika TV, Canal 2, Canal 3, PRO TV Chișinău, TV8, Jurnal TV,
Orhei TV and Central Television.
The broadcasting regulator’s monitoring confirmed that most of the broadcasters do not comply with Article 13(6)(a) of Audiovisual Media Services Code that, inter alia, stipulates that impartiality, balance and promotion of free opinions must be observed during newscast and talk shows, informative shows focusing on issues of public interest, political, economical, social or cultural shows.
Moldova 1 public broadcaster, for example, violated the principle of forming free opinions on two topics broadcast during the respective period. One of them was the video which was made public, showing President Igor Dodon’s meeting with the then leader of democrats, Vlad Plahotniuc, who reportedly discussed the federalisation plan of the Republic of Moldova. The TV station did not request the opinions of the two politicians featuring in the video.
Eight problematic topics, in which not all the parties concerned were cited, were found on NTV Moldova. Orhei TV and Central Television also violated this provision in eight topics. Similar violations were found in 17 topics on PRIME TV, 19 topics on Publika TV and three topics on Canal 3 and PRO TV Chisinau.
Out of the 11 TV stations monitored by BC, only Jurnal TV was not fined as no violations were found in its activity. Nonetheless, during the same meeting this TV channel was fined with MDL 10.000 for violating another BCC’s decision – ‘On the classification of audiovisual programs aimed at child protection’.
Note that Accent TV was not monitored by BC, although this post was monitored by IJC. Moreover, BC member Olga Gututui told a TV
station that Accent TV had submitted an application on changing the broadcast grid to the Council and on the media market it was discussed that Pervyi Kanal (‘The First Channel’) from the Russian Federation could migrate from Prime TV, owned by Vlad Plahotniuc, to Accent TV, affiliated with PSRM.
Note that IJC’s Monitoring Report entitled ‘Elements of Propaganda, Information Manipulation and Violation of Journalism Ethics in the Local Media Space (1 April – 30 June 2019)’, published in July, threw light on similar irregularities in the activity of the monitored media outlets – mixing facts and opinions, selective presentation of facts and statements, failure to provide the right to reply to the people mentioned in news etc.
Sursa Foto: Moldova 1
