The media preferences, in particular the preferences for Russian media products, are interdependent with the political and geopolitical preferences of the Moldovan citizens, shows a study presented by the Association “WatchDog.MD” Community and CBS AXA. The study centered on the analysis of the results of the Public Opinion Barometer of November 2017, IPN reports.

According to the authors, the increased volume of media products retransmitted from Russia is typical for Moldova. Prime channel tops the rankings of the most watched Russian TV channels.

The Public Opinion Barometer revealed the existence of a powerful relationship between the consumption of Russian media products and the level of Moldovans’ confidence in the Russian President. In November 2017, Vladimir Putin was much more popular than other state leaders as well as than the Moldovan political leaders.

The three TV channels that retransmit Russian media products - Prime, NTV and RTR – and also Canal 3 have an evidently pro-Putin public. The audience of Publika TV, Moldova 1 and Canal 2 is more balanced in this regard. The viewers of Jurnal TV, Pro TV and TV8 tend to have a high confidence in German chancellor Angela Merkel, much above the average, while their confidence in Vladimir Putin is below the average.

At national level, the confidence in Igor Dodon and the intention to vote for the Party of Socialists directly correlate with the level of consumption of Russian media products. The number of those who intend to vote for Igor Dodon among those who watch Russian TV channels exceeds 60%, being four times higher than among those who do not have such channels among the favorites.

The geopolitical integrationist preferences are also related to the media preferences. The Public Opinion Barometer shows the citizens who inform themselves mainly from such TV channels as Jurnal TV and Pro TV have pronounced pro-EU tendencies. Evidently, the channels that retransmit Russian media products are watched by people with pro-Eurasian Union preferences and these represent more than half of the respondents.

WatchDog.MD expert Valeriu Pasa said a norm should be introduced to limit the content of media products about a country or a political leader. The broadcasting sector should be monitored appropriately, by excluding propaganda.