Media cover race from two distinct positions: watchdog

The Moldovan media covered elections from two district positions from February 5 to 18, shows the results of the first monitoring report by the Independent Journalism Center (IJC), a part to the Civic Coalition for Free and Fair Elections – Coalition 2009. It monitored 24 media as a report was launched on Wednesday, Info-Prim Neo reports. IJC expert Nicolae Negru states, in the first two weeks of racing, the monitored media actively covered election-related events, airing and publishing a very large number of news stories. Instead, the electoral educating materials or opinion polls were rather exceptions than elements of editorial policies. According to the expert, the broadcasters mirrored the campaign from two different positions. On the one hand, the public stations Moldova-1 and Radio Moldova, and the private radio Antena C and TV station NIT, dir5ectly or indirectly favored the ruling party in their stories and 'unfavor' the opposition parties. “These stations have broadcast a large amount of stories in which the PCRM appeared in a positive light. The question mainly is about the governance's ideas to raise scholarships and wages and to reduce bread prices, etc.” said Nicolae Negru. The private station Eu TV gave less privilege to the ruling party and more privilege to the PPCD, unfavoring opposition parties, especially the PLDM and the AMN. PRO TV, TV 7 and Radio Vocea Basarabiei tried to mirror the event equidistantly. Vocea Basarabiei had a more evident critical message concerning the PCRM in its programs, but it did not unfavored the events favoring this party objectively. The printed and web media also covered elections differently, in terms of editorial policy. According to media expert Petru Macovei, the newspapers Moldova Suverana and Nezavisimaia Moldova and the portal www.omg.md directly promote a single electoral competitor – the PCRM, unfavoring the opposition parties, especially the Liberally-oriented ones. Also, the state incumbent news agency Moldpres presents the PCRM only in a positive light, disregarding the opposition. The editorial effort of newspaper Flux is targeting the same Liberal parties and favoring the PPCD. Another category of newspapers clearly unfavors the PCRM and present positively one or more opposition competitors, especially the PLDM, the AMN and the PL. The question is about Timpul de dimineata, Jurnal de Chisinau, Moldavskie Vedomosti, Cuvantul (Rezina) and www.unimedia.md portal. Newspaper Saptamana is also on the list, as it partially positively presents opposition candidates, but does not criticize the PCRM. SP (from Balti) favors no competitor clearly. At the same time, Infotag news agency tries to present all the competing parties in a balanced manner. Info-Prim Neo was not subjected to the monitoring. The project “Monitoring mass-media in the 2009 parliamentary elections” is implemented by the IJC in an partnership with IMAS-INC from 5 February to 5 April, with the financial support of USAID.