IJC Report: Certain Media Outlets in the Republic of Moldova Combine Different Manipulation Techniques to Favour Political Parties

 Blurring is a new manipulation technique certain TV channels in the Republic of Moldova use to confuse and distract the attention from truly important events. In addition, certain media outlets began to combine different manipulation techniques to enhance the image of the political parties they favour. These are some of the findings of the report ‘Elements of Propaganda, Information Manipulation, and Violations of Journalism Ethics in the Local Media Space (1 July – 30 September 2018)’, launched by the Independent Journalism Center on Wednesday, 10 October. 

During July – September 2018, the report’s author Victor Gotisan found that certain media outlets increased the broadcasting of confused, incomplete or false information, and continued to politicise excessively the topics.  Publika TV and Canal 2, which favoured PDM and its representatives, as well as Accent TV, NTV Moldova and to a certain extent Sputnik.md, which favoured PSRM, are among the TV channels that most often used manipulation techniques. Jurnal TV has also periodically favoured PPDA.

The report shows that certain media outlets tried to combine, on the basis of their political preferences, two manipulation techniques: the national rescuer in case of political stakeholders they support and the domestic or foreign enemy in case of political opponents. As regards the media content, the protests organised in the center of the capital on 26 August was the most politicised topic during the monitored period.

As regards the observance of professional ethics and norms, the report claims that a considerable number of the monitored media outlets used the mix of facts with opinions, as well as the generalisation and the non-observance of the right to reply. 
 
At the same time, a number of monitored media outlets (TV8, Pro TV Chisinau, Unimedia.info) reflected the socio-political topics largely in a correct, neutral and equidistant way. 
 
IJC will continue to monitor the 12 media outlets from the Republic of Moldova, selected on the basis of audience, language, coverage and type of ownership criteria. IJC recommends the Broadcasting Coordination Council to take action in the case of TV channels the content of which is reported as a source of manipulative or false information.
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The Monitoring Report is developed by the Independent Journalism Center, as partner of ‘Media Enabling Democracy, Inclusion and Accountability in Moldova’ (MEDIA-M) project, funded by USAID and implemented by Internews. The MEDIA-M project aims to promote the development of independent and professional media in Moldova, giving citizens access to a broad range of perspectives and contributing to the creation of a more resistant to political and financial pressures media sector.