Media NGOs Demand Investigation of the Jamming of TV8 Broadcasts

Moldovan media NGOs are expressing their concern about the jamming of the “Politics with Natalia Morari” program, aired by TV8 television on Thursday, November 2, 2017, which may be qualified as restriction of the right of access to information and freedom of expression.

According to TV8, its broadcasting was jammed in Chisinau, Ungheni, Balti, Floresti, Edinet, Briceni, Ocnita, Comrat, Straseni, Criuleni and Vadul lui Voda. The station’s editorial office claims that these technical problems occurred when the guests of the program were discussing an issue involving the leader of the Democratic Party, Vladimir Plahotniuc, and that in most cases the signal was jammed in localities where television services are provided by the state-owned company Moldtelecom.

According to Moldtelecom’s press release, the problem was caused by “image distortions triggered by the equipment in the station’s head office.”
We ask the Broadcasting Coordinating Council to take note of this case and to demand explanations from the television service provider regarding the incident. We also ask the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology to investigate the reasons of the video signal jamming and to inform, within reasonable time, about the measures taken.
Please note that article 34 of the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova stipulates that “the right to have access to any information of public interest cannot be restricted,” and that intentional prevention of the media activities is punishable by law.