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Moldova - Media Landscape

Freedom of the press is a fundamental right in Moldova, confirmed by the Constitution. The penal code and press laws, however, prohibit defamation and insulting the state. According to Freedom House, an organisation which investigates the level of press freedom in each country, Moldova does not have free press.

The government frequently uses financial measures to harass the media, such as dissuading business owners from advertising in independent outlets.

Trans-Dniester is a narrow strip of land in the east side of Moldova, at the Ukrainian border, that declared independence from Moldova in 1990. In this area, whose statehood remains unrecognized by the international community, the media is sharply restricted and politicised. Media outlets are either government-owned or closely linked to the authorities. Print media are required to register with the local Ministry of Information.

Print media

The newspapers circulated on the Moldovan media market are either printed in the official Romanian language (called Moldovan according to the Constitution) or in Russian. 

Moldova-specific editions of Russian titles are the most popular Russian-language newspapers (Komsomolskaya Pravda, Trud v Moldove, Argumenty i Fakty). 

Political parties publish their own newspapers in Moldova, in which opposition groups often criticize the government. However, the pro-government party newspapers and other media outlets are overwhelming. Especially the national broadcast media are completely in the hands of the government, which is the communist party.

In the mid-1990s the government nationalized some newspapers, which means the newspapers transferred from private to state ownership.

Two of the newspapers in Moldova, the Moldova Suveren, with a circulation of 7.000 copies, printed in the official language, and Nezavisimaya Moldova, with a circulation of 10.500 – printed in Russian, are the former government newspapers which were privatized. However, the privatization was a formal outcome, as the newspapers are still promoting a pro-governmental orientation.

Two prominent anti-government papers are the Timpul de Dimineata, a daily newspaper, and the Jurnal de Chisinau, a biweekly edition, the latter one running as well an online TV. Some other weekly newspapers in Romanian are ECO, Literatura si Arta, Ziarul de Garda, and others in Russian - Moldavskie Vedomosti, Vremya, Russkoe Slovo, Pridnestrovye.

Some of newspapers are linked to a political party such as the Comunistul, a newspaper of the Communist party, Novoe Vremea linked with the Democratic Party, Flux - belonging to the Christian Democratic People’s Party, Alianta Moldova Noastra - edited by the Moldova Noastra Alliance opposition party, etc. 

Owners of both state-owned and private-owned media continue to promote self-censorship. Many journalists avoid writing about controversial issues that might cost them their jobs, particularly when investigating issues of corruption.

There are over 70 magazines in Moldova. Nearly half are printed in Romanian.

Moldova has several professional press agencies.

The State News Agency Moldpres was founded by the Government of Republic of Moldova and dates back to 1940, when it was first established as Moldtag – The Moldovan Telegraphic Agency. Later on it was a branch office of the TASS Agency of the Soviet Union. During 1990-1994 it was named Moldova-pres and was subordinated to the Parliament. Since 1994, it has been transferred under Government authority and started publishing the Official Monitor of the country. It has been known to be biased towards the government in office. 
Address: 22 Puskin str., Chisinau, Republic of Moldova MD-2012
Tel. +373 22 232 372
Fax. +373 22 232 698
E-mail: ,
Web: http://www.moldpres.md
Director – Valeriu Renita

Infotag News Agency, was one of the first independent news agency on the media market in Moldova and started its activity in 1992. Nowadays, the agency has several media products: Infotag-Business bulletin, Infotag-Financial bulletin, Infotag-Consulting, etc. 

Basa Pres, one of the first independent news agency on the media market, being established in 1992. 

Reporter.MD, started its activity in 2000 as an informational-analytical e-journal, being lauched officially in 2002. 

INFO-PRIM NEO is a Chisinau-based news agency with primary focus on community issues. It is a successor of Info-Prim municipal news agency, which had 7 years of experience on the media market.
Address: 9/9 Sfatul Tarii str., Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Tel: +(373 22) 93 00 73, +373 691 55495.
E-mail:
Web: http://www.info-prim.md
Director - Valeriu Vasilica,

AP Flux was founded in 1995 and belongs to the Flux Press Group, which is linked with the Christian Democratic People’s Party.
Address: 17 A. Corobceanu str., Chişinău 2004, Republica Moldova
Tel/fax: +(37322) 23-46-91, 23-29-46
Web: http://www.flux.md
E-mail: ,

The Press Agency „News-Moldova“

InfoMarket.md – specialized in economic news and analysis. 

DECA-press agency, was created as a regional agency but over the years it got national and nowadays it has the most extensive correspondent network in Moldova

Unimedia.md, is an online press agency, launched in 2005 under the name of Uni.md, later was rebranded in 2006 into Unimedia. It is a property of New Media Group. It has its own networks of blogs: http://blogs.unimedia.md/
Address: 28 B Mihai Eminescu str., Chisinau, MD-2012;
Tel./fax: +(373 22) 24.35.78
Web: http://www.unimedia.md
Email:

Omega Press Agency - the second online TV was launched on 1 September 2008.
Address – 98 Bucuresti str., Chişinău,
E-mail:

Broadcast media

In 2003 there were more than 20 radio stations and some 30 TV stations on the air. Many of them re-broadcast programmes from Russia and Romania. 

The National Broadcasting Public Institution TeleRadio-Moldova is the former state-owned national radio-TV broadcaster founded in 1958, which turned into a public company, but only formally. The quality of the newscasts is the same. It covers the whole territory of the country. It is financed from public money, which is allocated by the Parliament, making it dependent on the ruling party. It owns the TV channels Moldova 1 and Moldova International and the radio channels Radio Moldova and Radio Moldova International. 

NIT TV covers as well the entire country and is said to be biased towards the current government under the Communist Party.

The most popular of the private television companies in Moldova are the ProTV Chisinau and TV7, which cover the capital and surrounding area.

TV7 is a commercial TV station, launched in 2006, covering Chisinau with terrestrial signal and major cities by cable. The channel belongs to the private “Analitic Media Group” company. 

Pro TV Chisinau is a commercial TV being part of the Romanian based Media Pro Group. It has been on the market for 9 years.
Address: 7 Petru Maior, Chisinau, Republica Moldova
Tel: (37322) 213645, 213642
Email:
Web: http://www.protv.md

EU TV – was established as a private agency after the privatization of the former municipal TV station Euro TV Chisinau. It is considered to be part of the media holding of the Christian Democrat Party.
Address: 106 Columna str., Chişinău, Moldova, MD-2012
Tel/fax: (+373 22) 22 11 47
e-mail:

Other Moldovan TV station include Pervii Canal Moldova, N4, DTV. 

The most popular of the privately-owned radio companies are the Europa Libera, the BBC, Vocea Basarabiei, Radio Nova, Antena C, etc. 

According to Freedom House, most private media are dependent on donations from foreign governments. In September, 2007, after the Romanian television station Pro TV broadcast reports that were critical of the Moldovan interior minister, the ministry officials arrested Ghenadie Braghis, who was a sales director at the Chisinau branch of Pro-TV.

Online

As can be seen in the table, there is still a low level of Internet usage of Internet in Moldova. In 2007, only 19.5 percent of the population used the Internet. Still, the number is increasing.

Year	Users	Population	% Population
2000	25.000	4.247.200	0.6 %
2004	288,000	4,197,929	6.9 %
2006	406,000	3,815,677	10.6 %
2007	727,700	3,727,246	19.5 %

Source: http://www.internetworldstats.com/euro/md.htm

Due to the low Internet penetration percentage, not many online press websites exist. There are some popular media websites, namely Moldova Azi, created by the Independent Journalism Center. The second is the News Yam, a daily feed which is not available in English. Finally, Moldova.org, which is available in English, Russian and Romanian.

The Moldovian blogosphere is not very active. The blogs written by the citizens of Moldova are mostly in Romanian. The two most popular blogs in Moldova are:

• Public Policy Watch - Blog for discussions about policies in Moldova and abroad (English)
• Euroblog - European perspective on Moldova (Romanian)

Nicu Popescu - http://npopescu.yam.ro/
Oleg Cristal - http://www.oleg-cristal.blogspot.com/
Ion Marandici - http://www.marandici.com/

Telecommunications

Moldova has three main telecom networks:
Moldtelecom (state-owned national operator)
Eventis Mobile S.R.L;
Moldcell SA;
Orange Moldova S.A. Today.

There are around 1.9 million mobile phone users in Moldova. This is between 25-50 percent of the population.

Learning and support

Three universities in Moldova offer journalism faculties:
Moldova State University
Free International University of Moldova
New Chisinau School of Advanced Journalism

According to Freedomhouse, the Chisinau School opened in September, 2007, and offers a one-year programme in print and broadcast journalism.

Professional unions and organisations

The Broadcasting Coordinating Council - is the public autonomous authority in the broadcasting domain, responsible for watching out for the public interest of the consumers of the programs and ensuring a fair broadcasting environment based on democratic principles. Its statute and activity is subject to the Broadcasting Code and its 9 members are voted by the Parliament, on the recommendations made by different public associations, foundations, etc. However, the activity of the Broadcasting Coordinating Council has been criticized during the last years for being politically biased in the redistribution of the frequencies of radio and TV broadcasting. 

The Broadcasting Coordinating Council
Str. Mihai Eminescu, 28, MD-2012, Chisinau,
Republica Moldova
Phone.: +(373 22) 27-75-51; fax: +373 22 27-74-71
Web: http://www.cca.md
E-mail:
Chairman - Gheorghe Gorincioi
Phone.: +(373 22) 277-391; e-mail:

The Journalists Union of Moldova is the professional union of Moldovan journalists.

Address: mun. Chisinau, str. A. Puskin 22, et.2
Phone / Fax: +(373 22) 233419, 233411, 234171
Valeriu Saharneanu – Chairman
E-mail:

The Association of Independent Press – is a public association oriented to support the development of non-politically affiliated media. It was founded in 1997 and comprises today 16 newspapers, a press agency, the Independent Journalism Center and 3 freelancers. 

Address: str. Bucureşti 77, mun. Chişinău, Republica Moldova, MD-2004
Tel/fax: (+373 22) 220996; 210602; 203686; 235704
E-mail:
Slava Perunov – Chairman

APEL – The Association of Electronic Press – is a forum of nongovernmental organizations created in 2002 in the field of electronic media.

Address: Str. Sfatul Tarii, 9/9, Chisinau MD2012, Moldova
Tel/fax: +(373 22) 204-766, 21-12-54
E-mail: http://www.apel.md

Acces-Info – is a nongovernmental organization oriented towards promoting the freedom of expression and access to information. It was constituted in 2000.

Address: str. V. Alecsandri 13, bir. 26, mun. Chişinău, MD-2009
Tel./fax: 28-13-94,
E-mail:
Site: http://www.acces-info.org.md
Chairman - Vasile Spinei – GSM +(373) 69167820

Journalistic Investigation Center was founded in 2003 by a group of investigative reporters and 3 media NGOs.

Address: 2004, Chisinau, 15 Corobceanu,str.
Tel/fax: +(373 22) 235704, http://www.investigatii.md
E-mail:
Chairman - Cornelia Cozonac

The Center of the Young Journalist was founded in 2002, by 11 young journalists involved in the editing of the school newspapers.

Address: Moldova, Chisinau, str. Puskin 22, of. 520,
Tel: +(373 22) 92.30.81
Web: http://www.ctj.md
E-mail:

Resources

• International Center for Journalists
• US Department of State
• Press Reference
• Internet World Stats
• http://www.azi.md/en.html
• News Yam
• Moldova.org
• Info Tag
• Basa Press

Reporter.md (N/A)
• Infomarket
• Deca
• Moldova State University
• Free International University of Moldova
• Mondotimes
• Timpul
• Jurnal
• Saptamana Financiara
• Vedomosti
• ProTV
• Television Radio Moldova

Contacts

Moldova State University
A. Mateevici street 60
Chisinau MD–2009
Moldova
Tel.: + 373 225 777 57
Fax: + 373 222 442 48
E-mail:
Website: http://www.usm.md/

Free International University of Moldova
52 Vlaicu Parcalab street,
Chisinau MD-2012
Republic of Moldova
Tel.: +373 222 200 29
Fax: +373 222 200 28
E-mail:

Infotag news agency
Kogalniceanu Street 76
Chisinau 2014
Moldova
Tel.: + 373 222 34931
Work tel.: +373-222 348 75
Fax: +373 225 465 64

BASA-press Agency
V.Alecsandri Street 72
Chisinau MD 2012
Moldova,
Tel.: +373 222 203 9

Reporter.md
V. Alecsandri Street 90/1
Chisinau MD 2012
Moldova
Tel.: +373 228 157 46
+373 228 157 47
Fax: +373 222 115 35
E-mail:

DECA-press agency
Mihai Viteazul Street 18, 3rd floor
Balti
Moldova
Tel.: + 373 231 607 44
Fax: + 373 231 613 85
E-mail:
E-mail:
Editorial office:
Director: Vitalie Cazacu
Editor-in-chief: Eugen Urusciuc

Independent Journalism Center
Sciusev, 53 Str., MD 2012,
Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Tel:  +373 22 213652 , 227539
Fax: +373 22 226681
E-mail: