Several TV channels and online news outlets are presenting facts in a unilateral and partisan manner, promoting the interests of their owners. The news broadcasts of many media institutions are covering the events selectively, mixing facts and opinions and omitting relevant information. These are some of the conclusions of the 7th monitoring report “Propaganda, information manipulation and violations of journalistic deontology in the local mass media landscape”, by the Center for Independent Journalism.
The report was presented on Tuesday, August 22, and covers the period between June 1 and August 1. Report author Viorica Zaharia told a press conference at IPN that the monitored topics include the Venice Commission report on the mixed voting system initiative, the sentencing of Ilan Shor, mayor of Orhei, and the extension of the arrest warrant for the mayor of Chisinau, as well as the European Parliament’s decision to offer 100 milion euros as macro-financial assistance to Moldova and the final adoption of the mixed vote bill.
Viorica Zaharia said that CJI monitored 12 mass media institutions – TV channels and online news outlets. The study found that the Moldovan press continues to ignore news writing rules. The TV channels Publika, Prime and Canal 2 mostly broadcast the same news content. “All three channels resorted to manipulation techniques and violations of the deontological code, selectively presenting facts, withholding the right to reply, mixing opinion and facts”, she explained.
The study author also pointed at Accent TV and NTV Moldova, who reflected some of the analyzed topics in an unilateral and tendentious manner. They presented facts selectively, omitted relevant information from their news stories, mixed facts and opinions and mocked ideological adversaries. JurnalTV also presented facts selectively, lacked balance in its editorial policy and, in one case, didn’t offer the right to reply. Sputnik.md and RTR Moldova ignored relevant topics and didn’t cover them in their news stories. Sputnik.md and Noi.md are also guilty of not offering the right to reply.
The Center for Independent Journalism recommends the Coordinating Council of the Audiovisual to take notice and monitor the TV channels that are broadcasting manipulatory stories in order to apply penalties when the legal norms are ignored. The press consumers are encouraged to use multiple mass media sources in order to avoid being manipulated.
