A part of the ten TV channels monitored by the Independent Journalism Center offered relatively equal access to candidates running in elections. The latter were protagonists of separate news items or were mentioned in electoral news directly or indirectly. Another part had preferential attitudes to some of the candidates, shows the Center’s second report on the monitoring of the audiovisual press in the campaign prior to the general local elections during the period between October 12 and October 23.

The report was compiled within the Civic Coalition for Free and Fair Elections. Ten public and private TV channels with national coverage, which broadcast in Romanian and in Russian, were chosen.

In a news conference hosted by IPN, the Coalition’s secretary Grigore Stegărescu, ADEPT projects coordinator, said the mission of the Coalition that consists of 39 public organizations is to contribute to developing democracy in the Republic of Moldova by promoting and encouraging the conduct of free and fair elections in accordance with the international standards by which the Republic of Moldova abides. “The organizations that are members of the Coalition carry out a broad exercise to oversee and monitor the election process. Simultaneously, they carry out voter informing and civil education campaigns. Within the monitoring exercise, a separate chapter is devoted to the mass media, namely how the media outlets cover the campaign prior to the November 5 elections,” stated Grigore Stegărescu.

Independent Journalism Center executive director Nadine Gogu said that within the monitoring effort, they established that the electoral subjects were most of the times based on one source of information and pluralism of opinions wasn’t ensured. The subjects weren’t treated profoundly. Most of the monitored content didn’t ensure gender equality. The men were quoted most of the times as the candidates are mainly male.

According to the report, the public TV channel Moldova 1 covered the election campaign fairly and impartially, obeying the professional and deontological standards. Most of the electoral news items were based on one source and pluralism of opinions wasn’t ensured. The controversial content was yet balanced.

TVR Moldova offered airtime to the 14 election contenders that it presented in a balanced and unbiased way. The central public administration was presented in three e news items in a positive light. The representatives of the ruling party PAS were slightly favored by the transfer of positive image.

Jurnal TV covered objectively and impartially the campaign events, presenting the activities of 15 election contenders in a balanced way. MAN candidate Ion Ceban was disadvantaged in a number of negative news items about the City Hall’s work, while representatives of the PAS were favored by the positive context of the news items focusing on the central administration.

Pro TV Chisinau correctly and impartially covered the activities of most of the candidates without favoring or disfavoring any of the candidates. But Ion Ceban was disadvantaged by the negative tone of the news items in which he was presented.

TV 8 a covered the campaign in a summary and neutral way, offering limited access to news items to 14 contenders. It didn’t evidently favor or disfavor particular candidates.

Cinema 1 allotted airtime to most of the contestants, favoring slightly the PAS team and the party’s candidate Lilian Carp and also the MAN candidate.

Orizont TV presented 21 candidates, favoring the Chance Party and the Revival Party by the large number of news items and by news items featuring representatives of the outlawed Shor Party. The candidates of the MAN and the PSRM were disadvantaged by the large number of news items with a negative tone.

ITV Moldova evidently disadvantaged the MAN candidate Ion Ceban by the large number of news items that presented this in a negative light. The representatives of the ruling party PAS were disfavored by the news items that presented the central public authorities in a negative way.

Vocea Basarabiei TV didn’t offer access to news items during prime time, covering the campaign only from the angle of the election process. It favored the central public authorities through a number of news items with a positive tone.

Exclusiv TV covered the election campaign summarily, its electoral news items being neutral and fair.

Note: IPN News Agency offers the right of reply to persons who consider they were touched by the news items produced based on statements made by the organizers of the given news conference, including by facilitating the organization of another news conference in similar conditions.