Topics related to the presidential election and the constitutional referendum of October 20 are largely covered in a neutral way by the ten TV channels monitored by the Independent Journalism Center (IJC) within the Civic Coalition for Free and Fair Elections. The second monitoring report was presented at a news conference hosted by IPN on Tuesday and covers the period from September 27 to October 3.
IJC executive director Nadine Gogu said that a total of 312 materials were monitored: newscasts, shows and debates.
Cinema 1 actively covered the election campaign, offering direct access to all candidates for the position of President. The tone was primarily neutral and positive. PAS candidate Maia Sandu was advantaged both by the high frequency of appearances and by the positive tone of the news articles referring to representatives of the Government and the PAS.
At Exclusiv TV, the candidates appeared in a mostly positive light and, sometimes, in a neutral or negative light. Most of the parties were neutrally covered, except for the ruling one.
The regional public television station GRT reported more on the work of the Central Election Commission in the newscast, with the electoral topics being treated more in programs. The tone of the presentation of most of the election contenders in news items was neutral. The central authorities and the ruling party appeared more in a negative light, with Maia Sandu being disadvantaged through image transfer.
At Jurnal TV, the tone of the coverage in news articles was in most cases neutral. Maia Sandu and Alexandr Stoianoglo, the candidate supported by the PSRM, had only appearances in a positive light. The representatives of the Government also appeared more in a positive light, with Maia Sandu being advantaged.
The public channel Moldova 1 continued to report on the election campaign only in the news bulletins. During the monitored period, seven candidates had access to the informative programs whose tone was neutral.
N4 in the newscasts and shows/debates adopted a different tone in relation to the election contestants, to state institutions, but also to the ruling party. Maia Sandu, the Government and the ruling party were put in a negative light in all the shows, but the work of the executive was treated mostly positively in the news.
Pro TV Chisinau provided access to news to all 11 candidates. During the reporting period, no obvious favoring or disfavoring of any competitor was observed. The state institutions were treated neutrally.
TV8 presented most of the election contenders in a neutral light. Alexandru Stoianoglo, Renato Usatyi and Irina Vlah appeared also in negative light. The tone of the coverage of the political parties was both neutral and negative, and that of the Government’s representatives was predominantly positive.
TVC 21 continued the brief presentation of the campaign activities in News Digest bulletins. In shows, the political context was extensively analyzed with three of the 11 candidates, which put them in a positive light. Maia Sandu was disadvantaged most of the times.
At TVR Moldova, Alexandr Stoianoglo, Victoria Furtună and Irina Vlah were disadvantaged in two and three appearances each, and Maia Sandu was favored in a news item.
The monitoring will end on October 20.
Note: IPN Agency offers the right of reply to persons who consider that they were targeted in the news articles produced based on the statements of the organizers of this press conference, including by facilitating the organization of another press conference in similar conditions.
